Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced three men were arrested in connection with an incident in Chackbay on Sunday. Jaheim Stewart, 22, Tyrence Williams, 18, and Jarius Bannister, 18, all of Vacherie, all face charges stemming from the incident.
On the evening of April 7, 2024, deputies responded to a discount store on LA Highway 20 in Chackbay. Three masked men were reportedly seen near the rear entrance of the building. A concerned citizen confronted the men and attempted to detain them. The altercation turned physical and one of the three masked men pointed a firearm at the concerned citizen. As the three men ran from the scene, they threatened to kill a woman and her dog. When deputies arrived, they quickly located the three men and took them into custody.
All three were booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. Each was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and conspiracy to commit armed robbery with a firearm. Bail for Williams and Bannister was set at $600,000 each. Stewart was additionally charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His bail is set at $650,000.
Sheriff Webre cautions citizens from intervening in crimes but also issues a warning to criminals about the public’s intolerance for lawlessness. “We certainly encourage citizens to contact law enforcement and never try to approach a criminal who may be armed as they were in this case,” said Sheriff Webre. “With that said, I hope criminals take this as a warning that our citizens will simply not tolerate crime in our parish.”
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint in Lafourche Parish on April 9, 2024. During this checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and other potential violations. Checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.
Pictured left to right: CALEA Executive Director W. Craig Hartley, Chief Deputy Roy Gros, Captain Jessica Davis, Deputy Valerie Brown, CALEA Commissioner Marlon Lynch.
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) for Law Enforcement, Training Academy and Communications. These three accreditations allow the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to maintain its Tri-Arc Accreditation status, a distinction held by fewer than 40 agencies in the U.S. and Mexico combined. The announcement of the accreditations came March 23, 2024, during CALEA’s Spring conference which was held in Montgomery, Alabama.
“It is an incredible honor to once again be re-accredited by CALEA,” said Sheriff Webre. “CALEA not only ensures we have fair and legal policies in place, but that those policies are also being practiced. It provides the public with the ultimate level of accountability and transparency for a law enforcement agency. We are proud to serve our residents using the best practices and proven policies from across the country.”
This marks the eighth time the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by CALEA. The agency was initially accredited in 2000 and has been re-accredited seven consecutive times. LPSO must meet 461 standards 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 service managers l 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. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy trains officers from agencies across the state. It 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 CALEA accreditation, the academy had to meet 160 standards. The Communications Section, meanwhile, had to meet compliance with 208 standards. This section is staffed by the individuals who answer thousands of calls for service each year.
Pictured left to right: Major Lafate Day, Deputy Michael Jenkins, Deputy Erica Plaisance, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Sheriff Craig Webre.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced three members of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office were recently recognized at a statewide award ceremony. Major Lafate Day, Deputy Erica Plaisance, and Deputy Michael Jenkins were honored with Heart of Law Enforcement Awards, presented by the Beyond the Badge organization, in a ceremony in Baton Rouge. A total of 15 officers from 11 agencies across the state were honored at the event on March 12, 2024.
Major Day was recognized for an act of kindness and generosity in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Eighteen months after Ida struck Lafourche Parish, a local family was still displaced from their home, living in a makeshift shelter of tarps and other items. After seeking out other options, Major Day ultimately donated a camper to the family to restore some sense of security and stability. He also worked with Bless Your Heart Nonprofit to have a wheelchair access ramp constructed for the camper. As stated in his nomination, this is just the tip of the iceberg for Major Day. He can often be found volunteering in the community.
Deputy Plaisance and Deputy Jenkins were also honored for an act of kindness, this one involving a toddler. A young boy had contacted 911 because he had not purchased a gift for his brother’s birthday, and wanted to see if deputies could pass by since the two-year-old loved law enforcement officers. Using this as a teachable moment, the communications deputy advised the boy on the proper use of 911, but she assured him she would let deputies in the area know. Deputy Plaisance and Deputy Jenkins responded to the call. They purchased a Paw Patrol police toy at a local store using their own money before heading to the boy’s home where they were the life of the party. They arrived with overhead lights activated and parked in front of the home to surprise the 2-year-old. The boy’s mother took him outside to meet the deputies, receive his gift, and take some memorable photos.
Sheriff Craig Webre said, “These officers are shining examples for their law enforcement brethren. I am proud to say I work alongside some of the best law enforcement professionals in the world, and these individuals are a testament to that.”
The annual ceremony, held on March 12, 2024, was attended by dozens of esteemed guests, including state elected officials including Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, area police chiefs and sheriffs. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill was the keynote speaker for the event.
Major Cortrell Davis (2018) and Sergeant Keniyelle Frank (2022) are the other members of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to have received the award.
Beyond the Badge was incorporated in April of 2016 and is operated entirely by citizen volunteers and funded by corporate and private donations. Baton Rouge resident Linda Hull created the non-profit organization to recognize law enforcement officers for acts of kindness that go beyond their duties. Nominations of officers for Beyond the Badge’s Heart of Law Enforcement award can be made throughout the year. Members of the general public or law enforcement agencies can submit nominations online at BeyondTheBadgeLouisiana.org. Nominations are accepted until January 31 for acts performed during the previous calendar year.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Zackary Fruge, 32, of Bayou Blue. Fruge was charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery, and other charges on a woman from whom he had been ordered to stay away.
Just before 5 p.m. on March 29, 2024, deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 300 block of Louise Lane in Bayou Blue. Deputies learned Fruge had reportedly pointed a gun at a woman’s head and threatened to kill her. The woman escaped and ran to a neighbor’s home, but Fruge was reportedly still inside the residence.
When deputies arrived, Fruge walked out of the residence, and deputies immediately detained him. Through investigation, deputies learned Fruge had arrived at the residence where a woman was present in violation of a protective order. He left then returned a second time, and so, the woman called 911. When Fruge realized this, he allegedly shoved her down, pointed a gun at her head, and threatened to shoot her. He then began striking her in the head with the firearm and stole cash from her purse.
Fruge was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of violation of a protective order. Bail is set at $276,000.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Brandon Kidd, 38, of Cut Off on a variety of drug charges.
Narcotics agents had been investigating Kidd and obtained an arrest warrant for distribution of methamphetamine as well as a search warrant for his residence on East 59th Street in Cut Off. On March 28, narcotics agents proceeded to the residence where they located Kidd, and he was taken into custody. During a search of the residence, agents recovered a variety of drugs including the following: over 14 ounces of marijuana, over 22 grams of mushrooms, approximately 9 grams of methamphetamine, more than 11 doses of clonazepam, 18 hydrocodone pills, nearly 6 grams of hash powder, and 22 doses of a generic form of Viagra. Agents also recovered eight firearms and $1,689 in cash along with various drug paraphernalia.
Kidd was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on the warrant for distribution of methamphetamine. He was additionally charged with possession with intent to distribute the following drugs: methamphetamine, hashish, marijuana, clonazepam, hydrocodone, and psilocybin (mushrooms). Kidd was also charged with possession of a legend drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. Bail is set at $206,100.
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 app on mobile devices.
– ### –
NOTE: Per Article 234 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure, a booking photo cannot be released for this arrest.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking for the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Sophia Pollock of Cassidy Street in Lockport. She was last seen on March 20, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Sophia Pollock is described as 5’0” tall, weighing approximately 110 pounds with brown hair. She has a tattoo of a rose with the word “love” on her right wrist, and she has tattoos on both thighs. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 911.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) course on April 15-17, 2024, at the LPSO Shooting Range, located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland.
This self-defense course designed for women will take place over 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. 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 class registration deadline is April 12, 2024, at 11 a.m.
For more information, please call Lucie Morvant at (985) 446-2367 or email Captain Kevin Johnson at kevin-johnson@lpso.net.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint and a DWI checkpoint on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in Lafourche Parish. These checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.
The seat belt checkpoint will be conducted Wednesday evening, and deputies will focus on checking motorists for seat belts and child safety seat violations. The DWI checkpoint will begin Wednesday evening following the seat belt checkpoint and will continue into the early morning hours of Thursday, March 21, 2024. During the DWI checkpoint, deputies will be looking for drivers who are possibly impaired while checking for other traffic safety issues.
Sheriff Webre reminds citizens to designate a driver if they are going to drink. Motorists suspected of DWI who refuse to submit to a breathalyzer test will lose their driver’s license for one year (first offense). For a second offense, the penalty increases to two years. Anyone convicted of a DWI offense while their driver’s license is suspended because of another DWI offense will face automatic prison time. Lafourche Parish is also a “No Refusal” parish, meaning if a suspected drunk driver refuses a breathalyzer test, deputies will seek a search warrant to have that person’s blood tested.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced narcotics agents arrested two individuals following a search of a Raceland residence. Hali Toups, 27, of Raceland and Ryan Toups, 29, of Gheens were both arrested.
Beginning in January 2024, narcotics agents were investigating suspected narcotics activity at a residence in the 200 block of Twin Oaks Drive in Raceland. During the investigation, agents obtained a search warrant for the residence. During a search of the residence, agents seized methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Hali and Ryan Toups were at the residence with three juveniles at the time, and Hali Toups was arrested. She was charged with illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of persons under 17, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ryan Toups was found to have a substance in his possession which was sent off for further testing to the State Police Crime Lab. Testing showed the substance tested positive for methamphetamine. Agents then obtained a warrant for Ryan Toups, and he was taken into custody. In the process of being transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex, he committed a battery on a deputy. He was ultimately booked with possession of methamphetamine and battery of a police officer.
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 app on mobile devices.
