Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Investigators Seek to Identify Man Wanted for Multiple Vehicle Burglaries and Attempted Burglaries

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help to solve a series of vehicle burglaries and attempted burglaries which occurred last month in Thibodaux.

In July 2020, several Thibodaux residents contacted the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office regarding overnight vehicle burglaries and attempted vehicle burglaries. Several vehicles in the area of Cane Break Drive and Millstone Drive were burglarized after being left unlocked. There were also several attempted burglaries caught on camera when the suspect lifted door handles on several vehicles. Items of value were stolen, including purses, cash, credit cards, jewelry, sunglasses and other items. Some of the stolen items were later found to have been discarded around the neighborhood.

Security cameras captured an unknown thin black male subject wearing dark-colored pants, a white tank top, and white covering over his head. Due to the lack of quality of the images, only one video is able to be released showing the man walking up to a locked vehicle, lifting the handle, and then walking away.

Anyone who can identify the suspect, or anyone with any knowledge of these crimes, 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.

Sheriff Webre reminds vehicle owners to always lock unattended vehicles, especially overnight. Valuable items, including handguns, should also be removed and stored safely inside your home.

“Criminals are looking for easy targets and often attempt to burglarize many vehicles in one outing,” said Sheriff Webre. “It is extremely rare for a burglar to break a window or pry a door open to enter a vehicle unless they can clearly see something of value inside. By removing valuables and locking your vehicle, you dramatically decrease the chances your vehicle will be burglarized or stolen.”

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to promote the “9 p.m. Routine” through its official social media outlets. Through this national awareness campaign, the “9 p.m. Routine” encourages citizens to remove valuables from their vehicles, lock their vehicles, and lock their home at or before 9 p.m. each night before going to bed.

Two Injured in Wednesday Night Shooting in Raceland

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating a shooting in Raceland on Wednesday night which left two people injured.

Just before 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5, deputies and detectives responded to a report of gunshots in the 400 block of St. Patrick Street in Raceland. Numerous items of evidence were recovered at the scene. Investigators learned two men had arrived at a local hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were later flown to a New Orleans hospital for further treatment. The wounds are not believed to life-threatening.

As detectives continue their investigation into this incident, they are asking the public for help. Anyone with any information on this shooting 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.

Deputies Seek to Identify Suspected Vehicle Burglar

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a person wanted for a vehicle burglary in Raceland.

On July 31, 2020, deputies responded to a reported vehicle burglary in the 100 block of Acadia Drive in Raceland. The vehicle showed clear signs of a burglary, but nothing was determined to have been stolen. An image of the suspected burglar was captured on surveillance camera.

Anyone who can identify the suspected burglar 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.

Detectives Investigating Monday Evening Armed Robbery in Raceland

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating an armed robbery in which shots were fired. The incident occurred in Raceland on Monday evening.

At around 8:20 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2020, deputies and detectives responded to a call of shots fired in the area of Buford Street in Raceland. Investigators learned a man was driving an SUV in the area when an unknown white male subject entered the vehicle and reportedly robbed the man at gunpoint. During the incident, the driver exited the vehicle and began running away. As he ran, the unknown subject fired several rounds toward the victim. None of the rounds struck the driver, and no other injuries were reported.

The unknown white male subject was described as being short and bald with many tattoos. He was also reportedly carrying a silver handgun with an extended magazine.

Anyone with information on 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.

LPSO Re-Accredited by CALEA; Training Academy and Communications also Accredited

Sheriff Craig Webre announced that the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) and attained new accreditations for the Training Academy and Communications. The three accreditations earned LPSO the Tri-Arc status, a distinction held by fewer than 30 agencies in the U.S. and Mexico combined.

The announcement of the accreditations came Thursday, July 30, 2020 during CALEA’s annual conference which is being held virtually this year due to COVID-19.

“As law enforcement standards, practices and actions continue to be questioned and challenged throughout the world, we continue to subject ourselves to an even higher level of scrutiny,” said Sheriff Webre. “There are ongoing debates about body cameras and policies, but we believe accreditation provides the ultimate level of accountability and transparency. CALEA ensures we not only have fair and legal policies in place, and just as importantly, that those policies are practiced. This is just another way in which we ensure the highest levels of professional service to the people of Lafourche Parish.”

This marks the seventh time the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by CALEA. The agency was initially accredited in 2000 and has been re-accredited six consecutive times. LPSO must meet more than 400 standards in order to gain accredited status for the agency which now lasts for a period of four years. During that time, the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The agency also submits proofs that are reviewed by CALEA compliance personnel to ensure policies are indeed being followed.

Realizing the training and communications functions of any agency come with their own unique challenges, CALEA offers separate accreditation programs for both. For the first time, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office participated in a simultaneous review of all three programs when assessors visited the parish in December 2019. While here, the four Assessors interviewed more than 80 employees, community leaders, first responders and other leaders of other local and state agencies to assess the impact the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has on the community.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy was first certified by the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Council in April 1986 and has maintained its status ever since. To achieve its accreditation, the academy had to meet 155 standards. The academy trains officers from agencies throughout the state and was recognized during the accreditation review for standout services like the LPSO Shooting Range, reserve deputy program, and crisis intervention training.

The men and women of the Communications Section answer thousands of calls for service each year. The Communications Section had to meet compliance with 212 standards. The section was lauded for its operations, including dispatching for various police and fire departments across the parish and community outreach via the Bayou Children’s Museum. There, children are taught how to call for help and how to interact with first responders.

In achieving accreditation in all three areas, CALEA honored the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office with the Tri-Arc award. The award name reflects the three separate programs and symbolizes the synergistic power and light created as a result of an unusual achievement. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office becomes one of fewer than 30 agencies in the United States and Mexico to achieve Tri-Arc status.

As announced in May, Sheriff Webre was also honored by CALEA with the Egon Bittner Award during the virtual conference. The award is presented to Chief Executive Officers who have commanded a CALEA Accredited agency for fifteen or more continuous years. Dr. Egon Bittner, himself, greatly contributed to CALEA’s early development in 1979-80, and he served as a CALEA Commissioner from 1981 through 1988. He was a professor of Sociology at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, with a national standing on law enforcement issues. He retired from Brandeis in 1991 and died in 2011.

LPSO Shooting Range to Reopen This Week

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Shooting Range facility will reopen this week. The range facility, which is located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland, will resume its normal operating schedule beginning Wednesday, July 29 when it opens to members only. The range will reopen to the public on Thursday, July 30. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As per its normal operating schedule, the range is open to members only on Wednesdays, and it is open to the general public on Thursday through Sunday. The range is closed to members and the public on Mondays and Tuesday to allow for law enforcement training. Cost to use the range is $10 per person per day. Annual range membership is available for purchase at the range office for $100.

All individuals entering the range office must wear a mask or face covering. Pistol ranges will be limited to allow for proper physical distancing, and therefore, masks are not required on the shooting range itself. Masks are also not required on the 100-yard and 200-yard rifle ranges where existing physical barriers ensure proper spacing.

The LPSO Shooting Range facility has been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The range was the site of a free drive-through testing site for COVID-19 in April and May.

On average, more than 11,000 people utilize the shooting range each year. Personnel from more than 30 agencies use the range for training including local, state, and federal military agencies, as well as private security companies. The facility is also used for public education courses and academy training.

Children ages 10 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian (over 21). Targets and target backs are available. Ammunition is sold to Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office employees ONLY.

For more information regarding the LPSO Shooting Range, please contact the range office at (985) 438-7873 or email Sergeant Danny Toups at danny-toups@lpso.net.

One Man Dead after Overnight Shooting in Thibodaux

UPDATE: The victim has been identified as 31-year-old Bernard Gaudet of Choctaw, Louisiana. The investigation is continuing.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man has died following an overnight shooting in Thibodaux. There is no suspect in custody at this time.

At 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2020, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call about a shooting in the 300 block of Carol Street in Thibodaux. Upon arrival, deputies found a male victim in his 30s sitting in a vehicle with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation into this incident is continuing. Anyone with information on 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.

Three Arrested, One Sought for Aggravated Burglary in Galliano

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced three people have been arrested and one is being sought in an ongoing investigation of an aggravated burglary which occurred on Wednesday in Galliano. Investigators have arrested Carles Sudduth, 21, Ramon Ramos, 20, and Magaly Corona, 18, all of Texas. A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Carles Sudduth’s uncle, Christian Sudduth, 39, of Golden Meadow.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on July 22, 2020, deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence on West 215th Street wherein shots were fired. Deputies learned Christian Sudduth had walked up to the residence earlier in the day brandishing a gun and demanded money. When the residents refused, he left claiming he would return with more people and firearms. A short time later, the residents heard someone banging at the door and called 911. One of the residents was outside and was punched by another armed man, later identified as Carles Sudduth. Moments later, shots were fired inside the residence. No one was injured in the shooting.

On Thursday, July 23, investigators located Carles Sudduth in the parking lot at a Cut Off store, and he was detained along with Ramos and Corona who were with him at the time. Two firearms which match the description of those used in the incident were also found inside the vehicle.

Through investigation, detectives learned Ramos, Corona, and the Sudduths were all present at the time of the incident. Ramos and Corona allegedly remained inside a vehicle while the Sudduths were committing the burglary.

All three were arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. Carles Sudduth was charged with Aggravated Burglary, and his bail is set at $100,000. Ramos and Corona were each charged as an Accessory to Aggravated Burglary, and bail is set at $25,000 each.

Meanwhile, detectives have obtained a warrant for Christian Sudduth for Aggravated Burglary. Anyone with any knowledge of his whereabouts 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.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

Three LPSO Supervisors Graduate with Honors from National Command and Staff College

From L to R: Capt. Lafate Day, Lt. John Champagne and Lt. Michael Beck Jr. — *From left to right: Capt. Lafate Day, Lt. John Champagne and Lt. Michael Beck Jr.*

Sheriff Craig Webre announced three Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office supervisors have graduated with honors from the ninth session of the National Command and Staff College. Captain Lafate Day, Lieutenant John Champagne, and Lieutenant Michael Beck Jr. were among 42 law enforcement commanders from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas who completed the course.

A graduation ceremony was held in Luling, Louisiana, on July 17, 2020. During the ceremony, Captain Day was presented the President’s Award, given to the individual who demonstrates leader and learner responsibility and accountability early in the program and remains consistent throughout, integrating personal and professional leadership and management experiences to support concepts learned.

Lieutenant Champagne and Lieutenant Beck were part of Team Lion which received the Capstone Research Award. The students were divided into several teams to conduct their capstone research for the course. This award is given to the team which exhibits a well-defined, collaborative effort with a focus on written and oral presentation skills and several other elements. Team Lion chose “officer wellness” as their capstone research project, focusing on several factors of physical and mental health and the need for law enforcement agencies nationwide to promote health and wellness with officers. Due to the team’s outstanding work, their findings will be published for agencies to review.

“I’m extremely proud of these three individuals,” said Sheriff Webre. “Not only did they submit to several weeks of classes, studies, and lectures, they did so in addition to their normal duties and amidst a pandemic. On top of that, they distinguished themselves among their classmates, furthering the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office role as a national leader in law enforcement. Now they will apply what they have learned to become better leaders to serve our community.”

The National Command & Staff College was founded in 2010 by the International Academy of Public Safety, Inc. in collaboration with the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Tactical Officers Association. The comprehensive course, which was expanded to 14 weeks for this session, focuses on topics such as leadership theories and practices, social media, recruitment, foresight, policing issues, ethics, and diversity. The course is designed to produce leaders to promote community safety, build mutual trust, maximize officer safety and wellness, foster star performance, and reduce liability and risks. Students read several books, participate in hundreds of hours of course lectures, and write numerous essays each with case studies, discussion questions and classroom simulations.

LPSO Chief Deputy Roy Gros, Major Cortrell Davis (Correctional Complex Warden), and Lieutenant Benjamin Dempster (Investigations Supervisor) all previously graduated from the National Command and Staff College in prior years.

For more information on the National Command and Staff College, go to www.CommandCollege.org.

NCSC Session 9 Class Photo — Session 9 Class Photo

Sheriff Webre Announces Promotions in Regional Reentry Program

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre recently announced the promotions of two employees to administer to the corrections regional reentry program based in Lafourche Parish. Captain Karla Beck has been promoted to the Director of Programming and Reentry for the Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, as well as Assistant Warden of the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. Correctional Officer Danielle Finister has been promoted to the position of Assistant Director of Programming and Reentry.

Louisiana has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the United States, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections has worked to reduce this rate for more than 15 years. Approximately 50 percent of incarcerated individuals are assigned to state correctional facilities while the other half are assigned to local-level facilities such as the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex and Transitional Work Program. Throughout their incarceration, the objective is to gradually transition each individual back into society as a productive citizen in an effort to reduce recidivism.

The Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, which is based in Lafourche Parish, prepares individuals for reentry within a seven-parish region including Assumption, Ascension, Lafourche St. James, St. John, St. Charles, and Terrebonne. The program provides case management, counseling, and education to meet each individual’s needs to ensure a productive return to society.

“Public safety is my number one goal when it comes to preparing an individual for community reentry,” Captain Beck said. “We hope to engage the community in any way that we can to reduce their risk of recidivism by working on sustainable employment, affordable housing, community supervision and enhanced human service delivery. I believe that it takes a village to achieve success, and I am fully dedicated to the success of this program.”

Captain Beck has a doctorate in criminal justice management and holds professional licenses in counseling and family therapy. She has an extensive background in the development of social service programs with a focus on victim advocacy and community service and security. Officer Finister, who will serve as Beck’s assistant director, has 14 years of experience in corrections. She also has an associate’s degree and was already part of the reentry team at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where she gained experience in data management and program facilitation.

For more information about the Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, or to submit ideas for community involvement, please contact Captain Beck at karla-beck@lpso.net.