The owner of a Covington-area Thai restaurant has been arrested on charges that he had sex with underage juveniles.

A 55-year-old Ricky Seubsanh, who owns Thai Thai by Ricky on Hwy. 190 in Covington, was this week into the St. Tammany Parish jail.

Seubsanh was served a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation when his cell phone was seized, along with other items, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said the confiscated phone contained nude photos of what they believed were people under 17 years of age.

A sheriff's office spokesman said the subsequent investigation showed that Seubsanh solicited the nude photos and sexual favors from the underage victims.

Seubsanh admitted to the offenses under questioning and was booked on five counts of molestation of a juvenile, one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of sexual battery.