Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

RUNAWAY TEEN: Ron-taj Kelson

UPDATE: Kelson has been located.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 15-year-old Ron-taj Kelson of 117 Park Avenue in Thibodaux. He was last seen at approximately 4 a.m. on Saturday, October 3 when he walked out of his residence on Park Avenue in Thibodaux.

Kelson is described as 5’4” tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds with black hair. He was last seen wearing pink sweatpants, a white and blue bandana, black tennis shoes, and an unknown colored shirt. Anyone with information on his/her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 9-1-1.

Rape Aggression Defense Course to be Held in Thibodaux

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) course on October 26, 27, and 28, 2020, at the LPSO Law Enforcement Complex located at 1300 Lynn Street in Thibodaux.

This self-defense course is designed exclusively for women and will take place over the course of all three days. The class will begin at 6 p.m. and end around 9:30 p.m. each day. Participants must attend all three days, and participants must wear a face covering during class. Course instruction will be provided by certified R.A.D. instructors from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The cost of the course is $10 to cover the cost of course materials and is non-refundable. Class size is limited, and advance registration is required. You can register and pay for the course online at www.LPSO.net/classes. The deadline to register for the class is October 23, 2020, at 11 a.m.

For more information, please call Lucie Morvant at (985) 446-2367 or email Captain Lafate Day at lafate-day@lpso.net.

Man Injures Himself During Escape Attempt at Courthouse

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Labadieville man who injured himself attempting to escape from the courthouse on Wednesday. Gerrel Talbert, 26, has been booked on several charges after being treated for his injuries.

At around 10:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020, Talbert was in the court room of Division B of the 17th Judicial District Court. Judge Steven Miller told Talbert he would be taken into custody for five active warrants. Upon hearing this, Talbert immediately ran out of the courtroom and into the hallway as he was pursued by deputies. As Talbert was running, he crashed through a window in an attempt to escape the courthouse. The window was located just above a service stairwell on the rear side of the courthouse, and Talbert fell approximately 12 feet to the ground. Talbert was immediately taken into custody but was complaining of multiple injuries suffered during the fall. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Upon his release from the hospital, Talbert was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on four outstanding warrants for contempt of court mostly relating to prior drug charges. He was also booked on a warrant for Possession of Xanax for Thibodaux City Court. Bail on those warrants was set at a total of $65,250. He was additionally charged with Simple Escape and Felony Simple Criminal Damage to Property for the incident on Wednesday. Bail has not yet been set on the new charges.

UPDATE: Golden Meadow Man Sought in Hit-and-Run Boating Crash Arrested

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Golden Meadow man sought for his involvement in a hit-and-run boating crash has been arrested. Percy Dardar, 37, faces several charges including aggravated battery and aggravated criminal damage to property.

At around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, deputies with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol responded to a boating crash just south of Catfish Lake in Golden Meadow. Through investigation of the crash, deputies learned two men were traveling in boat when they noticed another boat approaching from the rear which was being driven by Percy Dardar. Dardar began yelling at the men who slowed their vessel’s speed. Dardar, however, maintained his vessel’s speed, and his vessel struck the outboard motor of the other boat. Dardar sped away in his vessel saying he wanted to kill the men on board. One of the men was knocked over during the incident, and he was treated at a local hospital. Deputies patrolled the surrounding marsh and bayous but were unable to locate Dardar at that time. Deputies then obtained a warrant for Dardar’s arrest for charges in relation to the incident.

Through further investigation, deputies learned Dardar was operating another man’s boat which he did not have permission to use. Dardar had previously used the boat, but Dardar did not have the owner’s permission to use it on that date. Deputies therefore obtained another warrant for unauthorized use of the boat.

On Monday, September 28, 2020, Dardar turned himself in. He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux on charges including Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Attempted Aggravated Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property, Hit-and-Run Driving with Injury, and Reckless Operation with Accident. He was released Monday afternoon after posting bail in the amount of $37,000.

Lafourche Parish Officials Issue Trick-or-Treating Guidance for Halloween

Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III and Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre have issued guidance and announced plans for Lafourche Parish regarding Halloween.

“With Halloween fast approaching, we wanted to offer up some support on how you can safely celebrate the holiday. Since Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, we expect most will enjoy some fun times with family and friends,” said President Chaisson.

The CDC recently published guidance to address trick-or-treating concerns for areas where COVID-19 cases are lower and residents plan to participate, like in Lafourche Parish. Standard guidance of social distancing, washing hands often, using hand sanitizer, and wearing a mask is still recommended, along with not participating if you are sick. If you plan to host a small gathering, the CDC recommends keeping guests outdoors as much as possible, weather permitting.

Alternative activities to trick-or-treating include pumpkin carving and decorating, hosting virtual costume contests, creating scavenger hunts for candy with your kids, making fall recipes, and watching scary movies at home. President Chaisson said, “We encourage you to be as creative as you can be! Just like with birthday parties, graduations and other in-person celebrations, we’ve figured out ways to make it all work to still enjoy good times with family and friends,” said President Chaisson.

Sheriff Webre said Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies will conduct the Blue Light Special patrol as normal during the peak hours of trick-or-treating, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on October 31, 2020. Around 100 deputies will patrol the streets of Lafourche Parish neighborhoods with emergency lights activated to remind motorists to drive slowly and exercise caution for those families who do decide to go trick-or-treating. Motorists are encouraged to keep travel to a minimum on Halloween night due to the high number of pedestrians on neighborhood streets.

“It’s been a long year, and we know parents and children alike are looking forward to Halloween traditions,” said Sheriff Webre. “We will do our part to ensure a safe, fun Halloween experience for all.”

In addition to people taking precautions due to the ongoing pandemic, officials wish to remind parents of the usual Halloween safety tips:

Be aware of your surroundings by staying off your phone unless making a call, especially while supervising children.
Make your child’s costume distinguishable and safe by using glow bracelets/sticks, reflective tape, lights or other items.
Inspect all treats collected and discard anything that is not sealed.
Remind children to walk and don’t run on sidewalks or near the edge of the roadway.
Remind children to stay in front of residences giving out candy and NEVER enter a residence.
Have a plan in case you and your child 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 prior to Halloween. Secure pets so that they will not attack or frighten anyone.

SCAM ALERT: Be Wary of Payments Requested in Gift Cards or Cash by Mail in Books

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is reminding residents to familiarize themselves with signs of phone scams to avoid becoming a victim. There have been reports of two specific scams recently plaguing residents. One scam involves purchasing store gift cards as payment, and the other involves sending cash by mail in books.

While scams may take on many different forms, they most commonly take the form of someone asking for immediate payment. It could be to pay bail money for a jailed relative or asking you to send money to collect a larger prize. In some cases, they even claim they’ll issue a warrant for your arrest if they do not receive payment. At that point, they’ll ask the victim to purchase either a pre-paid debit card or specific store gift cards and provide the card information as payment.

In the cash-in-book scam, a scammer contacts a resident claiming to money is owed. In some cases it could be a government agency such as the Social Security Administration, and in others it was a company claiming to have prize money. The scammer asks the victim to confirm credit card information for a monetary credit to be placed on their account. Once the victim provides the information, the scammer posts a credit for thousands of dollars more than what was due. The scammer then pleads with the victim to prevent him from getting fired by asking the victim to send the overage in cash placed within the pages of a book and ship it to an address. The scammer later removes the credit from the account, and the address is typically found to be a vacant or abandoned property used temporarily by the scammer.

In recent cases, three Lafourche residents lost over $100,000 combined in this manner by placing cash in books and shipping them. Detectives were able to track and recover a combined total of $12,000 in two of the cases.

“While the scams take on many different forms, they typically involve a con artist trying to prey on people’s generosity, especially the elderly,” said Sheriff Webre. “Anyone demanding immediate payment, demanding payment in the form of a store gift card or asking for cash to be sent by mail is a strong sign of a scam.”

If you believe you’ve encountered a scam phone call, hang up the phone and block the number. You can also download smartphone apps which help identify scam or spam calls. If you believe the call may be legitimate, ask for information from the caller such as the caller’s name and the company. Then search for the company on the Internet or in a phone book and find a contact number or email address. You can also call 4-1-1 to find a local number. If you believe the caller truly is a family member in distress, try calling that family member’s phone or another relative to verify the information.

If you lose money in a scam or receive threats of physical harm or violence, you should report it to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808. “If you believe a call may be legitimate but you have trouble validating the origin of the request, please contact us,” said Sheriff Webre. “We would be happy to assist you to ensure you do not become the next scam victim because once money is sent, it is nearly impossible to track down. Thankfully, our investigators were able to recover some of the funds from these cases.”

Concealed Handgun Course Scheduled for October 10

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced a Concealed Handgun Training Course will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2020, at the LPSO Shooting Range Facility located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. The class will begin at 8:00 a.m. and last until approximately 5:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. The actual ending time will vary due to class size.

The course will include the following:

One hour of instruction on handgun nomenclature and safe handling procedures of a revolver and semi-automatic pistol.
One hour of instruction on ammunition knowledge and fundamentals of pistol shooting.
Three hours of instruction on the use of deadly force and conflict resolution. (Includes a review of R.S. 14:18 through 14:22 and which may include a review of any other laws relating to the use of deadly force)
One hour of instruction on handgun shooting positions.
One hour of instruction on child access prevention.
Two hours of actual live range fire and proper handgun cleaning procedures. Live range fire shall include 12 rounds each at 5 feet, 10 feet, and 15 feet for a total of 36 rounds.
Must perform at least one safe reload of the handgun at each distance.
Must score 100% hits within the silhouette portion of an NRA B-27 type silhouette target with 36 rounds.

Participants will need to bring a handgun in good working condition, 50 rounds of ammunition for that handgun, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs). All individuals must wear a mask or face covering while in the classroom or the range office. Masks or face coverings are not required on the pistol ranges for those adhering to proper physical distancing.

The cost for the course is $110, and advance online registration is required due to limited class size. This course is a pre-requisite for those applying for a Concealed Handgun Permit from the State of Louisiana. Go to LPSO.net/classes to register for this course online. For more information, please contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net.

UPDATE: Child Pornography Charges Added for Thibodaux Man Arrested in June 2020

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Thibodaux man arrested in June 2020 for several counts of rape, crimes against nature, and domestic abuse, now faces charges of possession of child pornography. Douglas Baney, 60, was booked on 194 counts of possession of child porn on Thursday.

The investigation into Baney began in June 2020 after two victims came forward with allegations that Baney had inappropriately touched them as children several years prior. Further investigation revealed Baney forcefully engaged in sexual intercourse with one of the victims. The incidents occurred over time at locations in Larose, Lockport and Thibodaux. Detectives obtained warrants for Baney’s arrest for three counts of First Degree Rape and three counts of Aggravated Crimes Against Nature. During the investigation, Baney was also arrested for two counts of Domestic Abuse Battery. He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on all charges on June 18, 2020.

As the investigation continued, detectives executed search warrants on Baney’s electronic devices on which they found child pornography. On Thursday, September 24, Baney was booked on 194 counts of Pornography Involving Juveniles. He remains at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex, and his bail is now set at $521,000.

Narcotics Agents Arrest Three During Traffic Stop in Lockport

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of three Lockport residents during a traffic stop on Tuesday night. Mitchell Folse, 41, and Jessica Domangue, 35, were both traveling in the vehicle and arrested. Jacob Terrebonne, 32, was also arrested due to walking up to the scene while there was an active warrant for his arrest.

At around 9 p.m. on September 22, 2020, narcotics agents conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of LA Highway 1 and Catherine Street in Lockport, and they were soon joined by Lockport Police to assist. Agents identified the driver as Mitchell Folse and the passenger as Jessica Domangue. Agents were familiar with Folse and knew he had a warrant for Distribution of Methamphetamine. A K-9 deputy also arrived on scene and alerted to the possible presence of narcotics in the vehicle. During a search, agents found several small bags of suspected methamphetamine, various drug paraphernalia, and a loaded handgun. Domangue was also found to have a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, and paraphernalia in her possession. In all, agents found approximately 23 grams of methamphetamine. Both Folse and Domangue were arrested.

During the stop, Jacob Terrebonne walked up to the scene. Knowing he also had an active warrant for Principle to Distribution of Methamphetamine, agents took him into custody as well. Then, all three were transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux for booking.

Folse was booked on the aforementioned warrant as well as Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Illegal Carrying of a Weapon in the Presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. Bail is set at $25,200.

Domangue was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Drug Paraphernalia. Bail is set at $3,500.

Terrebonne was booked on his active warrant for Principle to Distribution of Methamphetamine, and bail is set at $10,000.

Detectives Investigating Early Morning Burglary at Discount Store in Gray

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating a burglary at a discount store in Gray. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on September 22, 2020, deputies and detectives responded to a burglary alarm at the Dollar General at 3410 Bayou Blue Road in Gray. When deputies arrived, they noticed the glass had been broken on the front door. Assisted by deputies from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies searched the building, but no one was found inside.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video and observed an unknown subject break the glass and enter the building. The person proceeds directly to the location of a locked safe and attempts to open it. When the safe does not open, the subject exits the store. It does not appear anything of value was taken during the burglary. Due to the quality of the video, detectives were unable to identify the suspect who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with any knowledge of this incident is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers through the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office mobile app. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.