Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Lafourche Parish Officials Issue Reminder about Illegal Dumping and Proper Debris Disposal

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre and Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson are reminding residents about proper debris and trash pickup and disposal and issuing a warning about illegal dumping of trash and storm debris. Since Hurricane Ida, deputies have responded to calls of illegal dumping in various areas of Lafourche Parish.

“As we have stated in the past, when you illegally dump on someone else’s property, you are making your problem someone else’s,” said Sheriff Webre. “We must work together as a community to recover. Part of that means properly disposing of storm debris and construction materials.”

“We strongly encourage any resident that catches anyone illegally dumping contractor or storm debris to take a picture of the business name or their license plate and contact the sheriff’s office immediately so we can identify these individuals,” said President Chaisson.

Any contractor needing to dispose of debris should do so at the River Birch facility at 5301 Highway 90 West, Avondale, LA 70094, or contact River Birch at (504) 436-1632.

Household garbage pickup is back to twice-per-week collection in most areas of Lafourche Parish. Only household garbage placed in a Parish-issued can (or similar store-bought can) will be picked up. Do not put storm debris in the garbage cans. If you lost your parish-issued garbage can due to Hurricane Ida, you may use a store-bought can that is similar (60-95 gallons, square and sturdy), and the contractor will attempt to service it. Residents can also call (985) 282-4273 to be placed on a list for a new or replacement garbage can.

Those residents who choose to illegally dump trash and debris on public or private property could face criminal charges. Among those charges are Gross Littering (R.S. 30:2531.1) and Criminal Trespassing (R.S. 14:63).

Those charged with Gross Littering would face a fine of up to $1,000 for a first offense and eight hours of litter abatement community service. For third and subsequent offenses, there is a fine of up to $5,000, up to 30 days in jail, up to 100 hours of community service, and driver’s license suspension for one year.

Those caught in violation of the Criminal Trespassing statute would face a fine of up to $500 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense or, for third and subsequent offenses, a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

Raceland Man Leads Deputies in Pursuit after Fleeing Traffic Stop

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Raceland man who fled a traffic stop resulting in a pursuit. John Gray, 38, was arrested following the pursuit.

At around 6:30 p.m. on February 11, 2022, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a truck traveling on West Main Street in Larose. During the course of the stop, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Gray entered his car and sped away. He initially headed southbound on West Main Street, turning right at LA 3162, and then turning northbound onto LA 3235. He eventually turned right onto LA 657 and then continued westbound on LA 308. Deputies successfully deployed spike strips near the Bollinger Bridge and the car came to a stop a short distance afterward. Gray exited the truck and was taken into custody without further incident.

Gray was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. He was charged with Aggravated Flight from an Officer, Possession of Marijuana, expired driver’s license, no license plate, improper vehicle equipment, and an illegally modified exhaust system. Bail is set at $20,350.

RUNAWAY TEEN: Jonathan Celino

UPDATE: Jonathan Celino has been found and is safe.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Jonathan Celino of Caroldene Street in Bourg. He was reportedly at a friend’s home in Bayou Blue on Thursday evening, February 10, 2022, following an argument with a family member.

Jonathan Celino is described as 5’10” tall, weighing approximately 150 pounds with brown hair. He was last seen wearing boots, jeans, and a camouflage jacket with a baseball cap. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.

RUNAWAY TEEN: Kyler Bonvillain

UPDATE: Kyler Bonvaillain has been found and is safe.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 15-year-old Kyler Bonvillain of Palmisano Drive in Bayou Blue. He was last seen at his residence at around 9 a.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022. He reportedly left the residence headed toward a wooded area near Palmisano Drive, and he had his puppy with him.

Kyler Bonvillain is described as 5’0” tall, weighing approximately 110 pounds with brown hair. He was last seen wearing a green short sleeve shirt and camouflage pants. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.

Man Wanted for Murder of 5-Year-Old Girl in North Carolina Arrested in Bayou Blue

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man wanted for the murder of a five-year-old Paitin Fields in North Carolina in 2017 has been arrested in Lafourche Parish. David Wesley Prevatte, 23, was arrested in Bayou Blue on Friday.

Fields was unresponsive when she was taken to a hospital on November 13, 2017. She was pronounced dead three days later. An autopsy showed signs of sexual trauma and strangulation. The Pender County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina named Prevatte as a suspect in the case in June 2018. In March 2019, Prevatte pled guilty to unrelated charges of intimidating a witness, breaking and entering, larceny, and burning a building. He served approximately ten months before his release from prison in January 2020.

Through investigation, the Pender County Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Prevatte for First Degree Murder, First Degree Statutory Rape, and Statutory Sex Offense with Child by Adult. Investigators from Pender County arrived in Lafourche Parish after tracking Prevatte’s location to Bayou Blue. With assistance from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Prevatte was taken into custody on Friday, February 4, 2022. He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where he will remain awaiting extradition to Pender County.

Pender County Sheriff Alan Cutler said, “This has been an ongoing investigation and I am extremely pleased and proud of the effort that has been put into this investigation by my personnel. I would also like to express my thanks to Sheriff Craig Webre and his staff in Lafourche Parish for assisting our investigators with taking Prevatte into custody.”

Sheriff Craig Webre extended his appreciation to Sheriff Cutler as well. “I offer my sincere gratitude to Sheriff Cutler for the tenacity and professionalism of his team that led to the arrest in this case. We were more than happy to assist in what will hopefully bring closure to a case and bring the perpetrator of a heinous crime to justice.”

LSA Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted for 2022

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre has announced applications are now being accepted for the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association annual scholarship for 2022. All eligible students in Lafourche Parish are encouraged to apply.

The $500 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school student who attends Nicholls State University or Fletcher Technical Community College. An applicant must be a permanent resident of Lafourche Parish and must be eligible for admission to the school indicated on the application. The award will only be paid for attendance at one of the aforementioned qualifying institutions as a full-time, undergraduate student. The scholarship is awarded as a gift, not a loan, and is awarded to defray the rising costs of tuition and related expenses in higher education. There are no restrictions on the purposes for which the scholarship is spent.

Applications are available for download online at www.LPSO.net/scholarship. Completed applications can be turned in at any Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office location or mailed to Captain Brennan Matherne, P.O. Box 5608, Thibodaux, LA 70302. All applications must be received by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office no later than Friday, April 1, 2022. An independent selection committee will review the applications and select a winner to be announced in May. There are no restrictions on applicants by reason of race, creed, color, age, or national origin.

The Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship Program awards scholarships in all 64 parishes, providing assistance to worthy Louisiana students in furthering their education and training with resources made available through the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Honorary Membership Program.

Raceland Man Wanted for Home Invasion and Holding a Teen Girl at Gunpoint

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Raceland man is wanted for aggravated assault and home invasion after pointing a gun at a teenage girl. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Armond Poindexter, 21, for the incident that occurred on Sunday afternoon.

Just before 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, January 30, deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1300 block of St. Marie Street in Bayou Blue. Deputies learned a teenage girl was babysitting an infant child when Poindexter allegedly entered the residence without permission demanding to see the child. Poindexter is reportedly the father of the child but does not have custodial rights. He asked to take the infant with him, and when the babysitter refused, Poindexter pointed a gun at her demanding she hand over the child. He left the residence soon after, leaving the infant behind.

Poindexter is wanted for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and Home Invasion. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433, online at CrimeStoppersBR.org, or through the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.

Larose Man Charged with Contractor Fraud and Theft in Four Investigations

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Larose man for contractor fraud. Brody Anselmi, 35, has been charged with contractor fraud and felony theft in four investigations this month.

In early January, a Larose man reported that Anselmi was hired for roof repairs and paid several thousand dollars upfront. Anselmi never started the job, offering several excuses. When the man asked for his money back, Anselmi claimed he didn’t have any money.

In another case, an elderly Larose woman had paid Anselmi for drywall replacement at her residence. She initially paid $2,000 as a down payment but then he asked for larger payments on two separate occasions. After she paid, Anselmi again offered excuses for being unable to start the work. He also told her he used her payment on other projects.

In a third case, a Galliano man paid Anselmi a down payment to repair a fence. Anselmi performed some work to tear down the old fence, but never completed the job. Again, he asked for more money and never returned. After several months, the man asked for his money back, but Anselmi never provided it.

Investigators obtained warrants for his arrest, and he was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on January 5, 2021.

Following his arrest, a Raceland woman came forward with similar allegations that Anselmi had been paid but had not started work. Detectives obtained another warrant, and Anselmi was booked accordingly.

Collectively, Anselmi pocketed $28,000 from the four victims without finishing the jobs and in some cases, he never started any work. He has been charged with three counts of Residential Contractor Fraud and one count of Felony Theft. He remains at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. Bail is set at $42,500.

RUNAWAY TEEN: Alyssa Cantrelle

UPDATE: Alyssa Cortez has been found and is safe.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 17-year-old Alyssa Cantrelle of Double H Drive in Raceland. She was last seen at around 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 29 when she left her residence without permission.

Cantrelle is described as 5’3″ tall, weighing approximately 100 pounds with blond hair. She was last seen wearing black pants and a gray sweatshirt. She also wears a rose gold ring on her finger. Investigators say she could possibly be in the area of Fourchon. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.

Deputies Investigating Reported Helicopter Crash in South Lafourche

UPDATE: The helicopter crash site has been located. Responders continue to search for survivors.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced deputies are currently investigating a report of a helicopter crash near the west side of the South Lafourche Levee System. The crash was reported by a concerned citizen. No additional information is available at this time. We will provide more information as the investigation continues.