Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Eric Matherne (age 24) of Galliano on Thursday, July 20. Matherne is charged with first degree rape of a toddler.

On Tuesday, July 18, deputies and detectives responded to Lady of the Sea Hospital General Hospital in Galliano after a toddler was found to have signs of sexual abuse. The child was later transported to Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. Through investigation, juvenile detectives developed Eric Matherne as a suspect. During questioning, Matherne admitted to the rape of the toddler.

Matherne was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked with First Degree Rape. His bond is set at $500,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man facing sexual battery charges in Terrebonne Parish has now been charged for a similar crime in Lafourche Parish. Brody Guidry (age 21) of Bayou Blue was arrested Tuesday for sexual battery on a child under the age of ten.

As previously reported by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, their detectives began an investigation on May 30, 2017, regarding a minor female child being sexually assaulted by an adult male suspect, later identified as Guidry. The mother of the minor child informed TPSO detectives that her daughter disclosed to her that Guidry touched her in an inappropriate manner during a sleep over. Detectives made contact with Guidry on May 31, and he admitted to touching the minor female in an inappropriate manner on more than one occasion. Guidry was then arrested for sexual battery.

Through further investigation with TPSO, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives learned of an incident wherein Guidry reportedly touched the same female child in a separate incident at a residence in Lafourche Parish. Detectives obtained a warrant for Guidry’s arrest and made contact with him on Tuesday, July 18. Guidry was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked with Sexual Battery (Forcible Fondling). His bond is set at $75,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Robert Bourgeois (age 49) of Cut Off in connection with a theft at a hardware store. Detectives had been investigating a theft at a hardware store on East Main Street in Cut Off which was initially reported on July 13. The store owner reported several marine batteries had been stolen overnight which were being stored outside the building. Through investigation, detectives developed Robert Bourgeois as a suspect. Then, while detectives were conducting surveillance in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 19, they observed Bourgeois riding a bicycle near the store. Due to Bourgeois being a suspect, they made contact with him, and during questioning, he admitting to stealing the marine batteries. Following questioning, Bourgeois was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked on one count of Felony Theft. His bond is set at $10,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Pablo Ulloa (age 39) of Cut Off for his third DWI offense. At 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling on East 94^th Street in Galliano. Deputies made contact with the driver, identified as Pablo Ulloa, and detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. Ulloa admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages prior to driving. Ulloa submitted to a field sobriety test on which he performed poorly. A breathalyzer test showed him to have a blood alcohol level of .166g%. He was also found to be driving without a license. Ulloa was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked with DWI (3^rd Offense), and no driver’s license (2^nd or subsequent offense). His bond is set at $50,100.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a fugitive wanted for aggravated second degree battery since 2013 was arrested early Sunday morning after flagging down a deputy. Jansen Simon (age 30) of Cut Off had been stranded at the roadside while traveling with friends.

On August 3, 2013, deputies responded to a complaint outside a bar located on LA Highway 308 in Cut Off. Upon arrival, deputies learned two men had been arguing when one of the men, later identified as Jansen Simon, allegedly struck the other man with a hammer before fleeing the scene. The victim suffered a fractured skull in the incident. Upon identifying Simon as the suspect, deputies obtained a warrant for his arrest. He also had two outstanding warrants for Contempt of Court at that time.

Then, during the early morning hours or Sunday, July 16, Simon was walking along LA Highway 182 in Raceland when he flagged a deputy to stop. Simon told the deputy he was traveling with friends when they left him on the side of the roadway. After verifying Simon’s identity, he was taken into custody. He was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked on the three aforementioned warrants for Aggravated Second Degree Battery and two counts of Contempt of Court. He is being held without bond.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced an anonymous tip led to the arrest of a Golden Meadow man wanted for sexual battery of a child under the age of 13. Rusty Lebouef (age 36) was arrested on Friday, July 14.

In June 2017, juvenile detectives opened an investigation after speaking with the victim. Through investigation, detectives learned Lebouef allegedly had inappropriate sexual contact with the victim. Detectives contacted Lebouef, but he refused to cooperate in the investigation. Attempts to locate Lebouef were unsuccessful at that time, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Then, on Friday, July 14, a tip submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region provided Leboeuf’s location at a residence on East 48^th Street in Cut Off. Deputies proceeded to the location where they found Leboeuf hiding in a closet. He was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked on the aforementioned warrant for Sexual Battery (Forcible Fondling). His bond is set at $30,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced five people have been arrested in connection with a scheme which allowed a Transitional Work Program inmate to work for a family business instead of his assigned employer for the past two and a half months. Inmate Anthony Gambino III (age 36) of Raceland is charged in the conspiracy and faces 72 counts of simple escape. Merlyn Maury III (age 38) of Raceland and Robert Schlumbrecht (age 35) of Waggaman have also been arrested, as well as Gambino’s mother, Bonnie Gambino (age 60), and girlfriend, Jessica Matherne (age 33), both of Raceland.

In July, investigators learned that, for some time, inmate Anthony Gambino III had been reporting to his mother’s house in Raceland and working for his family’s produce business instead of Schlumbrecht Electric in Waggaman, which was his assigned job site. Investigators discovered phone calls made at the LPSO facility in which Gambino spoke about the business to his mother, Bonnie Gambino, and his girlfriend, Jessica Matherne.

On the morning of Thursday, July 13, inmate Gambino was picked up at the Transitional Work Program facility by a man, later identified as Merlyn Maury III, and brought to his mother’s residence. At that time, inmate Gambino was taken into custody, and he and Maury were questioned about the incident. During questioning, inmate Gambino told investigators that he had made a request to the Louisiana Department of Corrections to work for the family business. Due to such employment being prohibited by the State, he was denied, but he decided to work for the business illegally. Inmate Gambino reportedly worked out an agreement with Robert Schlumbrecht, owner of Schlumbrecht Electric, to work for the family business instead of reporting to work. Schlumbrecht, a childhood friend of the inmate, agreed to continue to provide paychecks in exchange for cash to maintain the appearance that inmate Gambino was still employed by the company.

Since beginning his employment there in August 2016, an employee of Schlumbrecht Electric transported inmate Gambino to and from the job site. When inmate Gambino stopped reporting to that job, Maury, an employee of the produce business, began transporting him to and from the LPSO facility each day. Maury falsely identified himself as an employee of Schlembrecht Electric to LPSO officers. Ultimately, investigators found 72 instances in which Gambino did not report to the work site as assigned, and they learned that all aforementioned parties were aware that Gambino was illegally working for the produce business. Investigators then obtained warrants for all five individuals.

Inmate Gambino was booked with Conspiracy to commit Simple Escape and 72 counts of Simple Escape. His bond on the charges was set at $149,000, and he is being held for the Louisiana Department of Corrections. He was serving time for a manslaughter conviction in April 2003. He was assigned to the Transitional Work Program in March 2015, and his scheduled release date was April 11, 2018.

Merlyn Maury III was booked with Conspiracy to commit Simple Escape and 72 counts of Principle to Simple Escape, and his bond is set at $73,500. Bonnie Gambino and Jessica Matherne were arrested on Friday, July 14. They were each booked with 72 counts of Principal to Simple Escape. Bonds were set at $72,000 each, but Judge Walter L. Lanier III ordered each to be released on personal recognizance. Robert Schlembrecht surrendered to authorities on Saturday, July 15, and he was booked with one count of Conspiracy to commit Simple Escape. He was subsequently released after posting $5,000 bond.

“This was more than a just a simple case of an inmate not showing up for work,” said Sheriff Craig Webre. “This was an elaborate scheme wherein multiple parties were committed to defrauding the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and the State of Louisiana, and they were charged accordingly.”

The investigation into this matter is continuing.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Amad Vincent (age 31) of Gray on Tuesday, July 11. Through investigation, narcotics agents had acquired warrants for Vincent’s arrest for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. Then, on Tuesday, July 11, agents observed Vincent at a gas station in Bayou Blue, and he was taken into custody. He was found to have 27 grams of methamphetamine (street value of approximately $2,100) and a small amount of marijuana in his possession. Agents then executed a search warrant they had obtained for his motel room at which he was staying, and they recovered an additional amount of marijuana. Vincent was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked on the aforementioned warrants for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. He was additionally booked with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of Marijuana (2^nd Offense). His bond is set at $76,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a vehicle suspected to be involved in a Bayou Blue burglary earlier this month has been discovered through reviewing surveillance video. A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the burglary which investigators now believe occurred during the early morning hours of Monday, July 3.

As previously released, detectives responded to the 100 block of Bayou Blue Road on Thursday, July 6 in reference to the burglary of a mobile home and shed. Investigators discovered signs of forced entry into both structures. They also discovered motion-sensor lights had been damaged and wires to security cameras had been cut. Several items of value were stolen, including an enclosed trailer, an all-terrain vehicle, an outboard motor, a pressure washer, a shotgun, a crossbow, fishing rods and reels, various tools, and other items.

Through further investigation, detectives discovered video surveillance footage from a nearby residence which showed a white SUV, believed to be a Chevrolet Suburban or GMC Yukon, driving away from the scene towing what is believed to be the stolen trailer. The image was captured at 3:28 a.m. on Monday, July 3.

Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance to solve this case. Anyone 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.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Brandon Coler (age 28) of Thibodaux after he allegedly struck another man repeatedly with a handgun. Both Coler and Emily Lemmon (age 27) of Thibodaux also face weapons charges following an investigation into the incident. Each also had outstanding warrants related to drug charges.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6, deputies and detectives responded to the 800 block of Winder Road in reference to a resident hearing a gunshot outside an apartment complex. A short time later, a male subject in his 20s was brought to the emergency room at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center with head injuries. Investigators learned the victim was standing outside an apartment complex when Coler approached, and a verbal altercation ensued. At one point, Coler reportedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and began repeatedly striking the victim in the head with the gun. As the victim attempted to take the handgun from Coler, a single round was fired which struck the windshield of a car parked nearby. Following an investigation, warrants were obtained for Coler’s arrest.

On Monday, July 10, detectives made contact with Coler and Lemmon at their apartment, and they were taken into custody on the outstanding warrants. Detectives executed a search warrant at the apartment and located a handgun believed to have been used in the incident. They also discovered the handgun was reported stolen in Terrebonne Parish in 2012. Coler and Lemmon, both convicted felons, refused to cooperate in the investigation. They were both transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux.

Coler was booked with Aggravated Second Degree Battery, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Illegal Possession of a Firearm. He was also booked on outstanding warrants for four counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine and one count of Distribution of Cocaine. His bond is set at $160,000, but he is also being held for Louisiana Probation and Parole.

Lemmon was booked with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Illegal Possession of a Stolen Firearm. She was also booked per warrants on two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. Her bond is set at $65,000.