VIDEO: Ponchatoula Police Investigate 19-Year-Old Amari Sexton After TikTok Video Sparks Strawberry Festival Threat Concerns

 Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson has issued a public update regarding a viral TikTok video that prompted a police investigation and led to the banning of a young man from the annual Strawberry Festival.

On March 29, 2026, Ponchatoula Police Department detectives received a tip through Crime Stoppers containing a TikTok video of 19-year-old Amari Sexton, also known as Feezy Maripresha, dancing to rap lyrics. The video included a caption referencing the Strawberry Festival and quickly gained over 80,000 views. Many viewers expressed concern that the hand gestures and song lyrics featured in the clip could be interpreted as a threat directed at the festival.

With support from the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange (LA-SAFE), detectives were able to locate Sexton at his residence in Hammond, Louisiana. The Hammond Police Department subsequently obtained a search warrant for the home, and several electronic devices were seized as part of the investigation.

The incident has since sparked a broader public debate, with some community members calling for a boycott in response to what they view as an overreach, while others have defended the police response as a necessary precaution given the volume of public concern surrounding the video.

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