District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that today, the Honorable Judge Richard Swartz sentenced 56-year-old Michael Stanley Lang of Poplarville, Mississippi, to 10 years in prison at the Department of Corrections without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. The 10-year term represents the maximum statutory sentence for the charge. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Lang will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The sentencing follows Lang’s conviction by a St. Tammany Parish jury on April 15, 2026, for Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor. The prosecution stemmed from a proactive undercover operation initiated by the Covington Police Department into online child exploitation. During the investigation, Lang engaged in sexually explicit digital messaging with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old girl.
Assistant District Attorneys Christina Fisher and Taylor Nicholson prosecuted the case.
“This maximum sentence sends an unequivocal message: those who attempt to prey on our children in digital spaces will face the full weight of the law,” District Attorney Collin Sims said. “Protecting our youth remains a top priority for this office. I commend our prosecution team and law enforcement partners for their diligence in ensuring this dangerous offender is removed from our communities.”
DA Sims extends his continued appreciation to the 22nd JDC Special Victims Unit Task Force Partners – including the Covington Police Department, Slidell Police Department, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations – as well as the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough collaborative work on this case.