Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

LPSO Still Accepting Donations for 31st Annual Christmas Bicycle Giveaway

Sheriff Craig Webre announced that donations are still being accepted for the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office’s 31st annual Christmas Bicycle Giveaway. Since 1992, more than 5,500 bicycles have been distributed to our area’s needy families. In 2023 alone, 225 new bikes were delivered to children throughout Lafourche Parish.

LPSO is accepting donations of new bicycles or monetary donations in the form of cash or a check to purchase new bikes. Checks should be made payable to the Lafourche Deputies Association with “Bike Giveaway” in the memo line. New bicycles and monetary donations may be dropped off at any Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office location throughout the parish. Donations are accepted year-round. For questions regarding donations, please contact Captain Brennan Matherne at brennan-matherne@lpso.net.

“For 30 years, we have been bringing a little joy to children on Christmas morning with a new bike,” said Sheriff Webre. “This timeless gift continues to be in high demand each year. With the help of our generous community, we can brighten the holidays for children in need in Lafourche Parish.

Beginning on November 15, 2024, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will begin taking names of children in need of bicycles. Due to high demand, requests should be limited to no more than two bicycles per family. Further details, including the link to sign up online, will be released on November 15.

Sheriff Webre Issues Strong Warning to Residents About Cryptocurrency ATM Scams

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is strongly cautioning residents about scams involving cryptocurrency and asking the public to warn friends and family members.

“Lafourche Parish residents are being targeted relentlessly by scammers who are convincing them to feed their money into cryptocurrency ATMs where it’s instantly transferred to the scammer,” said Sheriff Webre. “Lately, they are primarily impersonating law enforcement, telling people they missed jury duty or have active warrants, but they have also used other classic scams as well.”

Through the first ten months of 2024, more than 160 Lafourche Parish residents have been scammed out of nearly $1.6 million. Over 40% of that total (nearly $657,000) has been lost through cryptocurrency ATMs. Investigators believe these numbers could be higher as some victims do not report being scammed out of embarrassment. These numbers have skyrocketed since 2020 wherein Lafourche residents only lost about $33,000 to scammers.

Last week, several parish officials banded together to create a video for social media detailing ongoing scams and explaining that no public agencies accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. Since that video premiered, three more individuals (ages 30, 75, and 79) have reported being scammed using a cryptocurrency ATM, losing more than $43,000 collectively.

Modern scam artists are not just targeting the elderly. The average age of victims in 2024 is 52 years, with victims ranging in age from 20 to 81. “We are seeing people of all ages and all walks of life fall victim to these scams,” said Sheriff Webre. “It’s not just the elderly.”

Sheriff Webre is strongly urging every citizen to talk to family members and ensure they are aware of these scams.

“It’s time for everyone to have a conversation with your family. Explain to them there is never a legitimate reason for someone to direct you to a cryptocurrency ATM or to purchase gift cards for legitimate business. If they are ever in doubt, tell them to hang up and call an officially listed agency phone number. They can also call our office, and we will assist them accordingly. Let’s ensure we protect our residents from these heartless con artists!”

Lockport Man Charged with Kidnapping and Domestic Abuse

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man has been arrested for domestic abuse and kidnapping. Brian Curole, 30, of Lockport was arrested on Monday.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m. on October 28, 2024, deputies were notified of a domestic incident that occurred. Deputies learned the victim, a woman in her 20s, had been asleep at a friend’s home on Saint Ann Street in Raceland when Curole entered the home. He reportedly grabbed the victim by her ankles and also by the hair, dragging her out of bed. He demanded she get in his vehicle, threatening her with violence if she did not comply. To avoid further injury, the woman complied.

Curole took her to a residence for some time before getting back into the vehicle and eventually proceeding to U.S. Highway 90 in Raceland wherein a battery occurred. Allegedly, Curole kept the door to the vehicle forcefully locked and threw the woman’s cell phone out of the car window. He then proceeded to strike the woman several times in the head. The woman reportedly tried screaming for help and attempted to flag down other drivers. Eventually, Curole dropped the woman off in the Gheens area.

With the assistance of officers from the Lockport Police Department, Curole was located and taken into custody. He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with simple kidnapping, domestic abuse battery, and interfering with emergency communications. Bail is set at $150,000, and he is also being held for Louisiana Probation and Parole due to a parole violation.

Sheriff Webre Announces Patrol Efforts and Safety Tips for Halloween 2024

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced deputies will conduct the annual Blue Light Special patrol on Halloween to help keep trick-or-treaters safe. More than 100 deputies will patrol the streets of Lafourche Parish neighborhoods on Thursday, October 31. This effort will begin at 5:30 p.m. and continue until 8:30 p.m., surrounding the hours when trick-or-treating is typically most active. During the Blue Light Special patrol, deputies will patrol with overhead lights activated to remind motorists to drive slowly and exercise caution for those families who are trick-or-treating.

“We encourage adults to eliminate distractions and be vigilant in supervising children, said Sheriff Webre. “We will have deputies patrolling in neighborhoods throughout the parish to ensure safety and allow for a quick response in case of an emergency.”

Sheriff Webre offers these safety tips for trick-or-treating:

Remind children to walk (don’t run) on sidewalks or near the edge of the roadway.
Avoid distractions (such as cell phones), especially while supervising children.
Make your child’s costume distinguishable and safe by using glow bracelets/sticks, reflective tape, lights, or other items.
Ensure your child’s costume is fire-resistant and fits properly to prevent trips and falls.
Consider using makeup and face paint instead of masks which can block a person’s view.
Inspect all treats collected, and discard anything that is not sealed.
Remind children to stay in front of residences giving out candy and NEVER enter a residence.
Have a plan for if you and your child(ren) get separated.

Residents are encouraged to prepare their homes for trick-or-treaters. Clear sidewalks and pathways of any obstacles, and put away anything children could trip over such as hoses, toys, or yard decorations. Turn on your lights so your property is well-lit, and replace any burnt bulbs before Halloween. Secure pets so that they will not attack or frighten anyone.

Motorists are encouraged to keep travel to a minimum on Halloween night due to the high number of pedestrians on neighborhood streets. Those who must be on the roads are encouraged to drive cautiously and be alert for children as they will be excited and may move in unpredictable ways.

Deputies will also be conducting compliance checks for sex offenders on Halloween night. Sex offenders are restricted from wearing masks or handing out candy or gifts on a holiday such as Halloween. Deputies will visit sex offenders in Lafourche Parish to verify they are complying with the terms of their sentences.

Thibodaux Man Arrested on Child Porn and Molestation Charges

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Thibodaux man for child pornography and child molestation charges. Helbert Young, 52, was arrested on Tuesday.

Juvenile detectives recently began an investigation into Young after learning he allegedly had sexual contact with a teenager. They also learned he recorded the incident and kept the video. In speaking to investigators, Young admitted to his involvement.

Young was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with pornography involving juveniles and molestation of a juvenile. Bail is set at $500,000.

Due to the nature of the investigation, no further details can be made available.

UPDATE: Second Person Arrested in Drug Trafficking Investigation

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced narcotics agents have arrested a second person in a drug trafficking investigation. Talesha Cheramie, 26, of Larose now faces charges in the investigation. Her boyfriend, Jaron Rousse, 23, of Larose, was previously arrested in this case.

As noted previously, narcotics agents were investigating Rousse and learned that he was expected to receive a shipment of marijuana. On September 25, 2024, with the assistance of K-9 “Sox,” agents located the delivery truck, and they observed Rousse attempt to collect the shipment. At that time, agents moved in and arrested Rousse. Agents seized approximately 120 pounds of marijuana and $34,000 in cash. Rousse was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, transactions involving proceeds from controlled dangerous substance activity, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violation of probation. He remains at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where he is being held without bond.

Through further investigation, agents obtained a warrant for Cheramie for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. They made contact with her on October 15, 2024, and she was taken into custody. She was booked into the Correctional Complex, and bail is set at $50,000.

Citizens are reminded that they can report any drug-related or suspicious activity. Information can be reported directly to the Narcotics Section commander, Lieutenant Adam Dufrene, at (985) 532-4365 or adam-dufrene@lpso.net. Information can also be reported anonymously through Bayou Region Crime Stoppers at 1-800-743-7433, at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or via the Bayou Tips mobile app.

Bayou Blue Man Arrested with a Variety of Drugs on Traffic Stop

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Bayou Blue man was arrested with a variety of drugs, including a large amount of fentanyl. Colin Martin, 44, of Bayou Blue was arrested on a traffic stop on October 10, 2024.

At around 10:30 p.m. on October 10, a K-9 deputy patrolling the Bayou Blue area conducted a traffic stop on a man driving an SUV on LA 316 due to a traffic violation. The deputy identified the driver as Colin Martin, a convicted felon, who was driving with a suspended license and without insurance. Martin was found to have drug paraphernalia and 25 oxycodone pills in his pocket.

K-9 “Mao” then alerted to the possible presence of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, deputies found quantities of several suspected narcotics including nearly 66 grams of fentanyl. They also seized over 243 grams of heroin, 33 grams of cocaine, 9.6 grams of methamphetamine, 62 hydrocodone pills, 53 clonazepam pills, $3,400 in cash, and additional items commonly associated with the sale of illegal narcotics. The deputy also located a handgun inside the vehicle that was reported stolen in Mandeville.

LPSO narcotics agents responded to assist and obtained a search warrant for Martin’s residence. During the search, they found a three-wheeled open-air roadster vehicle that had been reported stolen.

Martin was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, hydrocodone, and clonazepam, as well as possession of oxycodone and drug paraphernalia. He was also charged with illegal possession of a stolen firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of stolen things, driving under suspension, no insurance, and no turn signal. Bail is set at $432,000.

Sheriff Webre applauded the efforts of the deputies involved. “This shows how proactive policing and a simple traffic stop can result in a major arrest,” said Sheriff Webre. “A lethal dose of fentanyl is approximately 2 milligrams, meaning this individual was carrying more than 30,000 lethal doses. This is outstanding work by our K-9 deputies to get that large quantity off the streets of Lafourche Parish!”

RUNAWAY TEEN: Kayon Bell

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Kayon Bell of Williams Road in Golden Meadow. Bell was last seen on the afternoon of Friday, October 4, 2024, leaving Williams Road in Golden Meadow.

Kayon Bell is described as 5’9″ tall, weighing approximately 145 pounds with Brown hair. Anyone with information on Bell’s whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.

Thibodaux High School Student Charged after Making Threat to School

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Thibodaux High School student has been charged with terrorizing after impersonating another student and threatening to bring a gun to school.

On September 22, juvenile detectives opened an investigation into a school threat that appeared in a group message on SnapChat. A male student stated he had possession of a firearm and threatened to bring it to school and “shoot everyone.” While the threat appeared to come from one male student, through investigation, detectives found the message actually originated from another 14-year-old male student.

The 14-year-old boy was charged with violating Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:40.7 (Cyberbulling) and 14:126.1 (False Swearing for the Purpose of Violating Public Health and Safety). He was ordered to be electronically monitored.

Sheriff Webre cautions parents to speak to their children about this incident. “Technology has made it very easy to try to impersonate someone else, but it also makes it easy to track down the true perpetrator,” said Sheriff Webre. “This is not a joke, a prank, or a game. All threats are taken very seriously, and there are serious consequences. Be sure your children understand that once you send a message, you can’t take it back.”

MISSING PERSON: Angelica Vanquez-Lutz

UPDATE: Angelica has been located and is safe.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help to locate 15-year-old Angelica Vanquez-Lutz. She was last seen at around 2:10 p.m. on Friday, September 27, 2024, when she left Thibodaux High School in what appeared to be a silver-colored vehicle with dark tinted windows and black rims.

Vanquez-Lutz is described as 5’4” tall, weighing approximately 130 pounds with brown hair. She was last seen wearing her school uniform. She has a nose piercing on the left side of her nose. She also has a tattoo of the name “Sebastian” in red on her right forearm and a red tattoo on her left forearm of the name “Yamileth.” Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.