Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Lafourche Parish Council member has been charged with Simple Battery of a fellow council member. James Bourgeois (age 51), the parish council representative of District #5, was charged following an investigation into the incident which occurred after a recent parish council meeting.

On Thursday, April 26, Jerry Lafont Jr., the parish council representative of District #8, filed a complaint with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in reference to an incident involving Bourgeois which occurred after the Lafourche Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, April 24. Lafont alleged Bourgeois bumped him in the chest and made statements indicating a desire to kill him. Lafont also submitted an audio recording of the incident for evidence. After listening to the recording and taking statements from several witnesses, including other Lafourche Parish Council members, detectives concluded there was probable cause to charge Bourgeois with Simple Battery in the incident.

On Friday, May 4, detectives made contact with Bourgeois and charged him with Simple Battery, a misdemeanor. He was issued a criminal summons in lieu of arrest.

Meanwhile, Lafont had filed for a Protective Order against Bourgeois, and Judge Steven Miller ordered Bourgeois to stay away from Lafont. Several initial attempts to serve Bourgeois with the order were unsuccessful. Bourgeois was eventually served on Monday, April 30 when he arrived for a Lafourche Parish Council meeting. Due to the order, Bourgeois was not allowed to remain at the meeting. On Thursday, May 3, Judge Miller extended the order until Friday, May 18, but added an exception which will allow Bourgeois to attend Lafourche Parish Council meetings.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the dismissal and arrest of a Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office correctional officer on Thursday. Ernest Rost (age 37) of Raceland was terminated upon his arrest.

On Monday, April 30, an investigation began after a complaint was filed with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in reference to allegations Rost had sexual contact with a juvenile. Rost was placed on administrative leave at that time pending the outcome of the investigation. Then on Thursday, May 3, detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest. Detectives made contact with Rost on Thursday afternoon, and he was taken into custody.

He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux on one count of Sexual Battery. His bond is set at $50,000.

Rost’s employment with the sheriff’s office lasted just over 15 months and ended upon his arrest. He had been assigned as a correctional officer at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center.

Detectives say the investigation is continuing.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating an armed robbery which occurred at a Thibodaux motel on Monday, April 30.

Deputies and detectives responded to a motel on Saint Mary Street in Thibodaux in reference to a robbery. Through investigation, detectives learned two men and a woman were inside a motel room with the door open on Monday evening. At around 7:40 p.m., two unknown, armed male subjects reportedly entered the room with handguns demanding money. When the victims told the subjects they had none, the subjects struck the two male victims in the face. After taking wallets and cash, the male subjects then left the room.

The two suspects are described as white males who were wearing black shirts, black masks, and sunglasses, and both had handguns. The suspects may have been driving a tan-colored truck, believed to be an older model Toyota pickup truck.

Anyone with any knowledge of this crime 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 using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a third person wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred on October 31 in Marydale is now in custody. George Ward (age 28) of Thibodaux was arrested Monday on warrants for attempted murder and other charges. Ward’s sister, Chakkettia Ward (age 26) of Thibodaux was also charged with Harboring a Fugitive. Deondre Holmes (age 23) and Jovonta Johnson (age 24), both of Thibodaux, were previously arrested in the attempted murder case.

Through investigation, detectives learned that on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 31, 2017, George and Chekkettia Ward were sitting in a gray sedan parked in the 400 block of Carol Street. Holmes and Johnson, traveling in a white sedan, approached from the rear. Shots were reportedly fired by occupants of both vehicles. One of the rounds struck Chekkettia Ward in the thigh, and one round struck Johnson in the head. Both were both treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. Detectives obtained arrest warrants for Holmes, Johnson, and George Ward. Holmes and Johnson were arrested the day after the incident and booked with Attempted Second Degree Murder. Both remain in jail.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office had been working with the U.S. Marshals Task Force to locate George Ward. On Monday, April 30, 2018, deputies obtained information about his possible location at a residence on Victory Street in Thibodaux. LPSO deputies and officers from the Thibodaux Police Department joined members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force and proceeded to the location. Upon arrival, deputies announced their presence, and Chakkettia Ward exited the residence. Once outside, she denied that George Ward was inside the residence multiple times, and she also began causing a disturbance. An LPSO K-9 unit entered the residence and discovered George Ward hiding under a bed. Deputies later found a handgun, suspected marijuana and Xanax pills, and drug paraphernalia, all of which was determined to belong to George Ward.

George Ward was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux on the aforementioned warrant for Attempted Second Degree Murder. He was additionally charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Xanax and Marijuana, as well as Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Illegal Carrying of a Weapon in the Presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was also found to have an outstanding warrant for Contempt of Court. His bond is set at $242,000.

Chekkettia Ward was charged with Accessory After the Fact (Harboring a Fugitive). She was booked into jail and released Monday afternoon after posting $10,000 bond.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced an inmate has been charged and his wife is wanted for conspiring to plan an escape from the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. Inmate Nicholas Meyer (age 25), who is serving a 10-year sentence for armed robbery, has been charged. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of his wife, Alysia Meyer (age 27) of Thibodaux in connection to the incident.

Investigators recently learned that Nicholas Meyer had been planning an escape from the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. Through investigation, they learned Inmate Meyer and his wife had planned an elaborate scheme in which he planned to attempt to scale the perimeter fence of the facility. He had also planned to have his wife nearby to pick him up and drive them out of state. Investigators questioned Inmate Meyer, and he admitted to planning to escape.

Meyer had been arrested for Armed Robbery by Thibodaux Police on July 9, 2017. Then on March 16, 2018, Meyer was sentenced to serve 10 years with credit for time served. He is now charged with Conspiracy to Commit Simple Escape. His bond on that charge is set at $100,000.

Alysia Meyer is now wanted for Conspiracy to Commit Simple Escape. Investigators believe she is currently living out of state, possibly in Ohio. Anyone with different or specific knowledge of her 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 using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Eric Chavez (age 30) of Thibodaux on Sunday, April 29. At around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of LA Highways 3185 and 3107 in Thibodaux. Deputies made contact with the driver and identified him as Chavez. Deputies detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Chavez’s breath, and he admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the stop. Chavez performed poorly on a field sobriety test, and he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test. Deputies later obtained a warrant for a blood test, and the results are pending at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. Chavez was placed under arrest, and deputies found him to have a small bag of suspected cocaine in his possession. A review of Chavez’s criminal history showed three prior DWI arrests from 2010 to 2015. Chavez was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. He was charged with DWI (4th Offense), Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Alcoholic Beverage in a Motor Vehicle, and improper vehicle lighting. His bond is set at $55,200.