Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced deputies charged five people with DWI offenses in a 24-hour period. Oscar Pinto (age 57) of Des Allemands was arrested for a second DWI offense, and four others were also charged with DWI offenses.

The first incident occurred just after 12:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25. Deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence on Bridge Road in Des Allemands. Deputies arrived at the residence and learned the person causing the disturbance, Oscar Pinto, had left the residence in a white truck. While on scene, Pinto returned to the residence in the truck. Deputies made contact with him and noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. Pinto performed poorly during a field sobriety test, and a breathalyzer test showed his blood alcohol level to be at .144g%. Pinto was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center and charged with DWI (2^nd Offense), open container, and expired driver’s license. He was released on Wednesday after posting $2,200 bond.

The final incident occurred just before 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Cut Off wherein Troy Thibodaux was charged with DWI (2^nd Offense). The following individuals were also each charged with DWI offenses on Wednesday: Dustin Goff (age 23) of Labadieville, Heather Bates (age 25) of Raceland, and Esmeralda Valenzuela (age 27) of Thibodaux.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Houma woman for making threats at a state office. Deidre Bluford (age 32) is charged with Terrorizing in the incident.

On Thursday, April 19, deputies responded to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Child Support Enforcement Office located at 1442 Tiger Drive in Thibodaux in reference to threats. Upon arrival, deputies learned Bluford had arrived at the office for a scheduled appointment. During a conversation with a case worker, Bluford became very agitated and left the office. Moments later, Bluford returned to the office and made a threat regarding employees at the office. Following an investigation into the incident, deputies obtained a warrant for her arrest for Terrorizing.

Then on Monday, April, 23, Bluford returned to the same office. After learning Bluford was present at the office, deputies arrived, and she was taken into custody.

Bluford was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. She was booked on the aforementioned warrant for Terrorizing. She was also booked on warrants for two counts of Contempt of Court for Thibodaux City Court. Her bond is set at $53,500.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced detectives are investigating a shooting that occurred Monday evening in the Marydale community which left a male teenager injured.

Just after 8:30 p.m., on Monday, April 23, deputies responded to Carol Street in reference to a shooting. Deputies learned a male teenager was injured in the shooting, and he had been transported to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. He had been shot in his right arm and his left hip. Deputies also found a vehicle parked in a driveway which had been struck by multiple rounds.

The investigation into this incident is continuing. 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 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 Brett Lemaire (age 29) of Thibodaux on April 20, 2018. Lemaire is charged with two counts of burglary.

On Thursday evening, April 19, deputies responded to a residential burglary in Thibodaux. Through investigation, deputies learned a resident arrived home at 5 p.m. that day and discovered the home and a vehicle parked at the home had been burglarized. Cash had been stolen from the residence and a check was stolen from the vehicle. Deputies took fingerprints and biological samples from the scene and submitted them for processing. Detectives later determined the fingerprints belonged to Brett Lemaire who had been working in a nearby field that day.

With the assistance from the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office, detectives made contact with Lemaire at his place of employment on Saturday, April 21. During questioning, Lemaire admitted to his involvement in the crime. He was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. He is charged with Simple Burglary of an Inhabited Dwelling and Simple Burglary of a Motor Vehicle. His bond is set at $75,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced one man has been arrested and another is being sought following a traffic stop on Friday evening after deputies found methamphetamine and marijuana in the vehicle. The driver, Christopher Gregoire (age 18) of Houma, was arrested following a brief pursuit. His passenger, Samuel Grant (age 26) of Bayou Blue, is now wanted on multiple charges.

Just before 8 p.m. on Friday, April 20, deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car traveling on Marcel Street in Bayou Blue. The driver of the car, later identified as Gregoire, refused to stop and accelerated to a high rate of speed. Gregoire then stopped the vehicle at the end of Marcel Street, and the passenger, later identified as Samuel Grant, exited the car and fled on foot. Deputies pursued Grant, but he eventually jumped into the bayou, and deputies lost sight of him. They searched the nearby area, but they were unable to locate him at that time.

Meanwhile, deputies took Gregoire into custody. They discovered suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in Gregoire’s possession, and additional amounts inside the vehicle. Deputies also noted that he was showing signs of possibly being under the influence of narcotics, and he admitted to being on methamphetamine. Gregoire refused to submit to a field sobriety test, but agreed to submit a blood sample for testing.

After the blood test, Gregoire was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. He was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana, Aggravated Flight from an Officer, DWI, no driver’s license, and no headlight. His bond is set at $57,200.

Grant is wanted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Methamphetamine, as well as Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Resisting an Officer, and no seat belt. He also has active warrants for Simple Battery and Resisting an Officer in reference to an incident on Friday, April 13 in which he struck a woman in the face and fled from deputies upon their arrival.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Samuel Grant 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 man and woman are wanted in connection to an armed robbery that occurred in Thibodaux in March. Arrest warrants have been issued for Jarrod Sanchez (age 26) and Saisha Willoughby (age 30), a couple who most recently lived in Labadieville.

At approximately 10 p.m. on March 29, 2018, deputies responded to the 200 block of Plymouth Drive in Thibodaux in reference to an armed robbery. Through investigation, deputies learned Willoughby had contacted the victim and asked him to meet her at an apartment complex in the north Thibodaux area in reference to some money she owed him. Upon arrival, the victim made contact with Willoughby. After a short time, a man, later identified as Sanchez, emerged from the vehicle in which Willoughby had arrived, and he pointed a gun at the  victim. Sanchez then struck the victim in the face, and then stole several hundred dollars the victim’s person. The victim then fled the area and called 911.

Following an investigation, Willoughby and Sanchez were developed as suspects, and arrest warrants were issued. Through assistance from the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned the couple most recently stayed in an apartment complex located on LA 1 in Labadieville. There current whereabouts are unknown.

Anyone with any knowledge of Sanchez and Willoughby’s 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 two men in connection with a residential burglary in Galliano. Sean Chauvin (age 24) of Cut Off and David Nelson Jr. (age 20) of Galliano were arrested for the burglary, and they are also charged with property damage in the case.

On Sunday, April 15, a deputy responded to a Galliano residence in reference to a burglary. Through investigation at the scene, the deputy learned several items of value including jewelry, televisions, gaming systems, and other items were stolen. The residence was ransacked, and a fire extinguisher had been sprayed throughout the home. The deputy collected fingerprints and a biological sample – both believed to be from suspects. Through further investigation that evening, the deputy learned Sean Chauvin and David Nelson Jr. were possible suspects in the burglary.

The following day, detectives were assigned to the case. They processed the fingerprints collected at the scene, and the prints were found to be a match for Sean Chauvin. At around 10 p.m. on Monday, detectives located Chauvin in Cut Off and questioned him in reference to the incident. During questioning, he admitted to his role in the burglary.

Then, at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17, detectives made contact with David Nelson Jr. at his residence. There, detectives recovered a number of items stolen during the burglary. They also discovered approximately half a pound of suspected marijuana and approximately 76 doses of suspect MDMA.

Detectives obtained arrest warrants for Chauvin and Nelson and they were booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. Each was charged with Simple Burglary and Criminal Damage to Property. Chauvin’s bond is set at $55,000, and Nelson’s bond is set at $30,000. There are also charges pending for the narcotics which were seized from Nelson’s residence.

The investigation into the case is continuing.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Eric Ponthieux (age 17) of Thibodaux for Third Degree Rape.

Through investigation, detectives learned Ponthieux had sexual intercourse with another person without that person’s consent on April 12, 2018. When questioned, Ponthieux admitted to sexual contact with the victim against the victim’s will. A rape kit (test) was conducted at a local hospital and the results are pending.

Ponthieux was arrested and charged with Third Degree Rape. He was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center, and his bond is set at $20,000.