Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Craig Webre announced three men were charged with driving while intoxicated over the weekend. Johnnie Bennett Jr. (age 37) of Thibodaux, Ardell Skidmore (age 27) of Napoleonville, and Maurice Williams (age 25) of Thibodaux were charged in separate incidents, and each faces other charges in addition to DWI.

At around 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, February 18, deputies responded to a call of a vehicle hitting a pole in Solar Trailer Park in Thibodaux. After obtaining a description of the vehicle, deputies located it at the trailer park and noticed significant damage to the vehicle, as well as a deployed airbag. Deputies then made contact with Johnnie Bennett Jr. who admitted to striking a pole with the vehicle. At one point, Bennett attempted to flee the scene, but deputies pursued. As deputies attempted to detain Bennett, he began resisting with force. He eventually submitted to a field sobriety test on which he performed poorly, and a breathalyzer test showed him to have a blood alcohol content of 0.126g%. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux. He was booked with DWI (2^nd Offense), Resisting an Officer with Force or Violence, and Hit-and-Run Driving with No Personal Injury. He was released on Sunday afternoon after posting $6,500 bond.

Later Saturday night, just after 10 p.m., deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding on Brule Guillot Road in Thibodaux. Deputies made contact with the driver, identified him as Ardell Skidmore, and detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. Skidmore admitted to consuming alcohol and submitted to a field sobriety test on which he performed poorly. He later submitted to a breathalyzer test which showed him to have a blood alcohol level of 0.03g%. Deputies then asked Skidmore if he had taken any type of narcotics, and Skidmore admitted to having been using codeine. A blood test and urinalysis were also conducted, and results are pending at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab in Baton Rouge. Skidmore was charged with DWI and Speeding.

Then on Sunday, at around 9:20 p.m., deputies traveling on St. Mary Street in Thibodaux noticed a vehicle traveling without headlights illuminated. Deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued without stopping. The vehicle eventually turned on to Richland Drive and continued turning on to several Thibodaux streets before eventually pulling into a driveway at a residence on South Barbier Avenue. At one point, deputies noticed the driver threw an object out of the passenger window, later found to be three carisoprodol pills. Deputies made contact with the driver, identified as Maurice Williams, who told deputies he had smoked marijuana and consumed alcohol prior to driving. Williams refused to submit to a field sobriety test, but a blood test was conducted and results are pending. He was arrested and transported to the Detention Center where he was booked with DWI, Obstruction of Justice, Possession of Carisoprodol, Flight from an Officer, improper vehicle lighting, and no driver’s license. His bond is set at $41,200, and he is also being held for Louisiana Probation and Parole.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Mark Dirance (age 21) of Thibodaux on Wednesday, February 15. Dirance had several outstanding warrants for his arrest, but he also faces new charges stemming from Wednesday’s incident.

At around 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies responded to a domestic incident in Thibodaux involving Mark Dirance. Upon arrival, Dirance attempted to flee on foot, but he was quickly taken into custody. Through investigation, deputies learned Dirance arrived at the woman’s residence and began knocking on her door. The woman did not allow Dirance to enter the residence, and Dirance eventually forced his way into the residence. He immediately grabbed the woman by the neck and began strangling her while striking her head against a wall.

Dirance had active warrants stemming from incidents on December 25 and 26, 2016, wherein he struck the victim in the face in the presence of two children. This subsequently led to a warrant for a probation violation.

Dirance was booked on the outstanding warrants for two counts of Domestic Abuse Battery with Child Endangerment and Violation of Probation, as well as warrants for Terrebonne Parish for Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property, Illegal Use of Weapons, and possession of a firearm on school property. He was additionally booked with Domestic Abuse Battery Involving Strangulation, Home Invasion, and Resisting an Officer. He is currently being held without bond due to the probation violation.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced a social media post threatening violence at a school poses NO credible threat to Lafourche Parish. This was determined after investigators traced the source of the post to an account based in North Carolina. In the post, the user threatened to “shoot up” a school. While no school was specified in the post itself, the user’s profile indicated his hometown as “Cut Off, LA.” Investigators with the Forsythe County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina made contact with the owner of the account, identified as a male teenager, and they are currently investigating the matter. They have determined there is no credible threat to any Lafourche Parish school.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating late Wednesday after the post was discovered by federal authorities. In reviewing the social media profile, detectives learned early in the investigation that the user was likely located out of state, possibly in North Carolina. Detectives worked with the social media outlet, federal authorities, and the Forsythe County Sheriff’s Office, in an attempt to identify the social media user. After identifying the user of the account, detectives determined he had no known local ties to Lafourche Parish.

Additional resources were deployed to schools in the southern area of Lafourche Parish out of an abundance of caution Thursday morning as the investigation continued.

“It is not clear why this individual chose to list his hometown as Cut Off, but that alone was enough for us to act upon this threat,” said Sheriff Webre. “We understand this caused some panic in our community, but we want our citizens to know that we were on top of the investigation from the beginning. The additional resources we deployed to area schools were in the interest of the utmost safety of the children.”

Sheriff Webre also hopes this incident serves as a warning to others. “We have no choice but to take every threat seriously, especially when it threatens the lives of potentially hundreds of children,” said Sheriff Webre. “Let this be a lesson to anyone thinking of making threats on social media: there is no level of anonymity that will hide you. We will investigate every threat, we will find you, and we will be sure you are charged appropriately.”

The matter is currently under investigation by the Forsythe County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Any criminal charges which arise from this case would be filed in that jurisdiction.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a threat of violence at a school which was posted on social media on Wednesday, February 15. At this time, investigators do not believe the threat is credible, but all standard protocols for such a situation have been enacted out of an abundance of caution.

The threat originated on social media and does not mention a specific school, but the user’s hometown is listed as “Cut Off, LA.” Sheriff Webre said additional resources have been deployed to the schools today.

“Based on this user’s other posts, investigators do not believe the user is from the area,” said Sheriff Webre. “With that said, we must take every threat seriously. We have instituted our protocols for such a situation, and we are working with the social media network, as well as federal authorities, to identify this individual.”

Anyone who may have information on this threat, or any threat involving violence at a school, is asked to submit the information to 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.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced two inmates have been charged following an incident at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. Inmates Dyrion Patterson (age 22) and Jamyren Richard (age 17) both face charges in the incident. Correctional officers opened an investigation after learning of an incident involving the battery of an inmate which occurred on January 8, 2017. Through investigation, officers learned some black male inmates allegedly threatened several white male inmates and made statements of a racial nature in targeting these individuals. On January 8, two of those making threats – Patterson and Richard – pinned another inmate down and struck him in the face several times, and they also forced him into the cell bars, which caused an injury to the back of his head. Both Patterson and Richard were charged with Second Degree Battery and Hate Crimes.

Patterson was in jail for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Illegal Carrying of a Weapon in the Presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and four charges of Contempt of Court. With the new charges, his total bond is now set at $161,000 bond.

Richard was in jail for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His total bond is now set at $41,000.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Larry Smith Jr. (age 18) of Gray on Thursday. Just before 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, deputies responded to a report of a robbery at a car wash in Bayou Blue. Through investigation, deputies learned Smith had met a male acquaintance at the car wash in an attempt to trade a bicycle for some electronic cigarette equipment. Once Smith obtained the equipment, he refused to give the other man the bicycle, and a verbal altercation ensued. At one point, Smith reached into the other man’s vehicle, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and fled the scene on the bicycle. Later that day, deputies observed Smith traveling as a passenger in a vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. Smith was immediately taken into custody, and deputies were able to recover the stolen items. Smith was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux and booked with Simple Robbery. His bond is set at $20,000.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Dylan Melancon (age 19) of Golden Meadow on Thursday, February 9.

At around 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, deputies were dispatched to the 24200 block of Highway 1 in Golden Meadow in reference to Dylan Melancon allegedly shooting in the direction of a female subject. Upon arrival to the area, deputies immediately located Melancon and detained him for questioning. Deputies learned Melancon’s ex-girlfriend had arrived at his residence earlier that day to retrieve some belongings. Melancon arrived shortly thereafter, and a verbal altercation ensued. The female subject retreated to a vehicle, and Melancon allegedly pointed a shotgun at her. Melancon then allegedly fired two rounds from the shotgun into the ground near the vehicle.

Through the course of the investigation, deputies learned Melancon had struck his ex-girlfriend twice earlier this week. Following the investigation, Melancon was arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux where he was booked with two counts of Domestic Abuse Battery, Domestic Abuse Aggravated Assault, and Illegal use of a Firearm. His bond has not yet been set.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of three individuals wanted in connection to a burglary of a Thibodaux residence on Tuesday, February 7. Jordan Burrell (age 20), Luther Oliver (age 17), and teenage male juvenile, all of Thibodaux, were all charged in the incident.  Oliver and the juvenile face additional charges of burglary and theft in other incidents.

At around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies responded to a report of a burglary at a residence on Winder Road in Thibodaux. Deputies discovered a television, a gaming system, and other items had been stolen from the residence. Investigators discovered entry had likely been made through a bedroom window. Through investigation, Burrell, Oliver, and the juvenile were developed as suspects. All three were charged with a single count of Simple Burglary in the incident.

Through the course of this investigation, detectives learned of other crimes which Oliver and the juvenile had committed in Abby Subdivision, including the theft of an all-terrain vehicle and burglary of a shed wherein several items of value were stolen.

Oliver and the juvenile were arrested on Tuesday for two counts each of Simple Burglary and one count each of Felony Theft. Oliver was booked into the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in Thibodaux, and his bond is set at $17,000. The juvenile was released to the custody of his mother.

Burrell was also booked with a single count of Simple Burglary, and his bond is set at $5,000.

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Russell Lebouef (age 37) and Jamie Wicher (age 30) for their involvements in a series of attempted vehicle burglaries on Karen Drive in Lockport.

Deputies began investigating a series of attempted vehicle burglaries on the morning of January 28, 2017. Through investigation, deputies learned a male and female subject attempted to burglarize several vehicles parked at residences on Karen Drive in Lockport by lifting door handles. The female suspect found one vehicle was unlocked and entered the vehicle before leaving the scene. Through investigation, deputies developed Russell Lebouef and Jamie Wicher as suspects in the crime. Deputies made contact with both suspects, and both admitted to involvement in the crimes. Lebouef and Wicher were both arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center for booking.

Russell Lebouef was charged with five counts of Attempted Simple Burglary of a Motor Vehicle and one count of Criminal Trespassing. His bond was set at $25,500, and he is also being held for Louisiana Probation and Parole due to a parole violation.

Wicher was charged with four counts of Attempted Simple Burglary of a Motor Vehicle, as well as a single count each of Simple Burglary of a Motor Vehicle and Criminal Trespassing. Wicher was additionally booked on an outstanding warrant for Contempt of Court. She was released Monday evening after posting $5,200 bond.