Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

LPSO to Promote Domestic Violence Awareness in October

Parish Proclamation — Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle (left) presents a proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month to PACT Place Coordinator Pam Guedry Lee. Also pictured from center to right: Captain Karla Beck, PACT Place Advisory Board Member Debbie Triggs, and Deputy Theresa-Marie Ellender.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is promoting awareness of domestic violence throughout the month of October. The month of October is recognized nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On Tuesday, September 26, Lafourche Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle issued a proclamation declaring the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lafourche Parish and encouraging citizens to wear the color purple, the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

2015 Miss Louisiana USA Candice Marie Bennatt will be the guest speaker at this year’s annual vigil for domestic violence. The event, entitled “Flight to Freedom – Butterflies for Hope,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at the Lafourche Central Market, located at 4484 Highway 1 in Raceland. The event, designed to remember the victims and honor the survivors of domestic violence, will feature a ceremonious release of butterflies, and several others speaking out against domestic violence. The annual event is sponsored by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, The Haven, Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office, and The P.A.C.T. Place Supervised Visitation and Monitored Exchange Center.

“The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office continues to be strong advocate for victims of domestic violence,” said Sheriff Webre. “In many cases, the victims of domestic violence feel helpless and feel they are unable to fight back. We want to reassure those victims that we are here fighting for them daily. We encourage everyone to join us on October 24 to remember those who have died as a result of domestic violence and honor the survivors.”

For more information about the vigil, please contact The P.A.C.T. Place at (985) 532-4390.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available! Call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Police Social Services at (985) 449-4476.

Seat Belt Checkpoint Set for Thursday, October 5

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint during the daytime hours of Thursday, October 5, 2017, in Lafourche Parish. During the checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and insurance. These weekly checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.

Raceland Woman Charged with Aggravated Burglary and Second Degree Kidnapping

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Charlene Shelby (age 56) of Raceland on Friday. Shelby is charged with Aggravated Burglary and Second Degree Kidnapping.

Just after 6:30 a.m. on Friday, September 29, deputies responded to a burglary at a residence on LA Highway 1 in Raceland. Through investigation, they learned Charlene Shelby had arrived at the residence around 30 minutes prior and allegedly forced entry into the residence. Once inside the home, Shelby grabbed a knife, approached the home owner, and demanded a ride. She grabbed the man’s wallet from the counter and told him she would give it back after he would give her a ride to Brocato Lane in Raceland. The man transported the woman to Brocato Lane and dropped her off where she gave the man back his wallet. The man returned home where he discovered cash had been removed from his wallet.

Deputies made contact with Shelby at her residence in Raceland, and she was arrested. She was initially transported to a local hospital for treatment due to cuts on her arms. Investigators believe she sustained the injuries after breaking glass to force her way into the man’s home. Following treatment at the hospital, Shelby was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where she was booked with Aggravated Burglary and Second Degree Kidnapping. Her bond is set at $75,000.

Thibodaux Man Charged in August Drive-by Shooting Incident

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Thibodaux man has been charged in a drive-by shooting incident that occurred in August. Kyron Bourda (age 28) of Thibodaux faces charges including assault and property damage in the incident.

Just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22, deputies received multiple calls in reference to shots having been fired in the area of the 200 block of Plymouth Street in Thibodaux. Upon arrival, deputies learned a man was outside his residence when a vehicle passed by, and one of the subjects inside the vehicle began shooting at the man. The subject fired multiple rounds from the vehicle before fleeing the area. The man at the residence was not struck during the incident, but two vehicles were damaged by gunfire.

Through investigation, detectives identified the owner of the vehicle used in the incident and learned Bourda had borrowed the vehicle during the time the incident occurred. Investigators also learned that when Bourda returned the vehicle to its owner, Bourda had an altercation with the owner and struck him several times in the face with a pistol. At that time, detectives obtained warrants for Bourda’s arrest for aggravated battery. Deputies located and arrested Bourda on Thursday, August 24. Bourda was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux at that time on charges of Aggravated Second Degree Battery, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and a parole violation. Detectives questioned him about the shooting, but he denied any involvement.

Detectives continued their investigation into the shooting and were able to collect enough evidence to obtain a warrant this week. On Wednesday, September 27, Bourda, who was still in jail, was booked on additional charges of Assault by Drive-by Shooting and two counts of Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property. His bond is now set at $200,000, but he is also being held for Louisiana Probation and Parole.

Detectives say the investigation into the drive-by shooting incident is ongoing. Anyone who can identify the suspect or who may have information on 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.

Carnival Ride Worker Arrested for Inappropriately Touching Teenage Girls

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a carnival ride worker was arrested for inappropriately touching two teenage girls at a fair over the weekend. Cody Johnson (age 20) of Kewanee, Illinois, is charged with indecent behavior with juveniles.

On Sunday, September 24, two teenage females reported being touched inappropriately in separate incidents by a carnival ride worker later identified as Cody Johnson. Johnson was employed by an amusement contractor providing rides and games at the Cut Off Youth Center fair. Both victims claimed to have been touched inappropriately while Johnson was securing them on the ride. Detectives learned Johnson also asked one of the girls about their age. Detectives made contact with Johnson and questioned him about the incident. Following the interview with Johnson, detectives obtained warrants for his arrest.

Johnson was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. He was booked with two counts of Indecent Behavior with Juveniles per the warrants. His bond has not yet been set.

D’Lynn Boudreaux, Cut Off Youth Center director, applauded the efforts of deputies and detectives involved. “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in this incident,” said Boudreaux. “Their diligence on this case lead to a quick arrest in what was an isolated incident involving this individual worker.”

Concealed Handgun Course Slated for Sunday, October 15

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced a Concealed Handgun Training Course will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, 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.

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

Participants will need to bring 50 rounds of ammunition, eye protection (sunglasses or eyeglasses are sufficient), and ear protection (muffs or plugs).

R.A.D. Course Slated for October; Donations Requested in Lieu of Registration Fee

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) course on October 16, 17, and 18 at the LPSO Range Facility located at 3451 Highway 182 in Raceland. This self-defense course is designed exclusively for women and will take place over the course of all three days with class beginning at 6 p.m. and ending around 9:30 p.m. each evening.

This course is being offered FREE of charge. In lieu of a registration fee, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office encourages registrants to make a donation to Team Ory, a fundraising organization named for Michael “Mike” Ory who passed away in 2016 after a long battle with melanoma. The organization raises money to help local cancer patients with the cost of treatment. Donations for Team Ory will be collected during all three days of the course, or donations can be made directly to Team Ory through its website: www.team-ory.com.

Participants must attend all three days. Course instruction will be provided by certified R.A.D. instructions from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. Class size is limited, and advance registration is required. Click here to register online: www.LPSO.net/RADsignup. The deadline to register for the class is Friday, October 13 at 11 a.m.

For more information on this class, please contact Captain Lafate Day at (985) 449-4485 or by email at lafate-day@lpso.net.

Seat Belt Checkpoint Slated for Thursday, September 21

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint Thursday evening, September 21, 2017, in Lafourche Parish. During the checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and insurance. These checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.

Sheriff Webre Warns of Utility Company and Grandparent Phone Scams

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, including a scam involving a utility company and another known as the “grandparent scam.”

Entergy Louisiana recently released information about an ongoing scam wherein utility customers receive calls from individuals threatening to disconnect services if an immediate payment is not paid on a past due bill. The victim is then directed to transfer funds electronically of through prepaid debit cards. The scammers often use sophisticated technology to replicate the utility company’s name and number on a caller I.D., making the scam difficult to spot.

The so-called “grandparent scam” occurs when a scammer contacts an elderly victim pretending to be a grandchild who is in jail or in distress. The caller sounds upset and may state they have a cold if their voice is not recognized. The caller typically states they have only a few moments to talk and may even provide a detailed story which ends with them being arrested. They may ask for bail money to be wired to an account, or they may request that a store gift card be purchased. If the caller is able to get money or gift cards from the first attempt, they will often contact the victim repeatedly seeking more. In some cases, the potential victim may also speak to, or receive a separate call from, someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer, a U.S. official or an attorney confirming the story or asking for additional funds.

“These scams have become elaborate in recent years with the advent of social media,” said Sheriff Webre. “We’ve seen multiple cases wherein the con artist refers to a grandparent by a nickname after finding a photo on social media. This shows the lengths these scammers are willing to go to take advantage of you.”

These two scams or common, but similar scams exist in many forms. While the circumstances may be different, they typically have one thing in common: the demand for immediate payment via prepaid debit card, electronic money order or gift card. This is one of the tell-tale signs of a scam, especially when it occurs on an incoming call. Other signs include a caller asking you to send money to receive money or prizes, a caller using threatening or vulgar language, or someone calling from a department, but not giving the name of the company.

“A request for a specific store gift card is a strong sign of a scam,” said Sheriff Webre.

Here are several ways citizens can avoid becoming a victim of a phone scam:

Hang up the phone immediately. Do not attempt to engage the caller or threaten them.
Block the number. If receiving the call on a mobile phone, you can block an individual number to prevent repeat calls.
Download a smartphone app which helps identify scam or “spam” calls.
Verify the source of the call. 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.

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 or your local law enforcement agency. If you believe a call may be legitimate but you have trouble validating the origin of the request, contact our agency. We would be happy to assist you to ensure you do not become the next scam victim.

Thibodaux Man Arrested for Sexual Battery of a Juvenile

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Kenneth McDonald (age 57) of Thibodaux. McDonald is charged with sexual battery of a juvenile.

In August, juvenile detectives opened an investigation after learning McDonald allegedly had inappropriate sexual contact with a juvenile under the age of 15 in the month of June. Following an investigation into the matter, detectives obtained a warrant for McDonald’s arrest.

McDonald turned himself in at the Thibodaux Police Department on Tuesday, September 12. He was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked with Sexual Battery (Forcible Fondling) per the warrant. He was released Tuesday evening after posting $75,000 bond.

Due to the nature of the crime, no further details will be made available.