Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced narcotics agents arrested four individuals in the South Lafourche area on Tuesday. John Dufrene, 56, of Galliano, Jeromy Ferriss, 24, of Grand Isle, and Chelsey Griffin, 31, of Golden Meadow were arrested following a search of Dufrene’s residence. Chantelle Smith, 40, of Galliano was also arrested on a warrant in connection with heroin distribution in a separate investigation.

Through investigation, narcotics agents obtained an arrest warrant for Griffin and a search warrant for Dufrene’s residence. On April 6, 2021, agents arrived at Dufrene’s residence on West Main Street in Galliano where they encountered Griffin and Dufrene, as well as Ferriss. During the search, agents found approximately 8.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia which was determined to belong to Dufrene. Agents also discovered Ferriss to have approximately 12.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine separated in smaller bags in his possession.

All three were arrested and transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. Griffin was booked on warrants for possession of heroin, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia, as well as three warrants for contempt of court. Dufrene was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Ferriss was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Violation of Parole. Bail amounts have not yet been set.

In a separate investigation, agents had obtained an arrest warrant for Chantelle Smith for Principal to Distribution of Heroin. On Tuesday, agents made contact with Smith at her residence on West 213th Street in Galliano, and she was arrested and booked on the warrant. She subsequently posted $50,000 bail and was released on Tuesday afternoon.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is asking the public for help in solving a case involving theft at a Lockport consignment store last week.

On March 29, 2021, deputies responded to a reported theft at a consignment store in Lockport. The store manager arrived at the store to find the donation bin to be empty. Upon reviewing surveillance video, a white Chevrolet truck was seen leaving with several donated items. An unknown white male subject was also seen loading the truck. Two other individuals were inside the truck at the time of the theft. It is estimated that items valued at approximately $1,000 were stolen. The unknown subjects arrived at 3:21 a.m. and the site left at 4:13 a.m. on March 29, 2021.

Anyone with 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 to Crime Stoppers via the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office mobile app. 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 inmates at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex recently took part in the first White Flag Exposition. Inmates posted white flags on the front lawn outside the complex during a ceremony on April 1, 2021. This event was created to mark the beginning of Second Chance Month which has been annually observed during the month of April since 2017.

As an internationally recognized sign of peace and surrender, a white flag was personalized and signed by each participating inmate as a symbol of atonement for their past and to proclaim their desire for a new life. Some wrote heartfelt messages on the flags to acknowledge the effects of their past actions on others. Members of the Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program team were joined by Sheriff Webre, Major Cortrell Davis (Warden), LPSO Police Social Services staff, and representatives from the Louisiana Department of Corrections to assist participants in planting the flags. Their participation signified the staff’s willingness to do whatever it takes to help the inmates achieve their second chance.

“We wanted to provide the inmates an opportunity to confirm their intent to renounce their past and strive for a new peaceful life,” said Captain Karla Beck, coordinator of the White Flag Exposition project. “Re-entry programs like those offered at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex are crucial in giving offenders the opportunity and the power to change. As we intervene while they are incarcerated and begin to provide the tools needed for reform, we significantly reduce the probability of re-incarceration and we increase community safety. That’s what second chances are really about.”

Second Chance Month is a national effort to raise awareness of the collateral consequences of criminal conviction and unlock second-chance opportunities for those who have completed their sentences to become contributing citizens.

The flags will remain on display throughout the month of April, which will also include recognition of the 40^th anniversary of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24, 2021. This annual commemoration is aimed at raising awareness about victims’ rights and associated issues. Sheriff Webre and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office have been leaders in the provision of services and support for victims.

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MEDIA FILES

Link to video testimony of inmates: https://youtu.be/-LfaFZLrmQ4

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a boy abducted by his non-custodial father has been found safe, and his father has been arrested. Luke Brown, 40, is in custody after allegedly kidnapped his four-year-old son on April 3, 2021.

A family member was granted emergency custody of the boy after Brown was involved in a standoff with Nicholls State University Police on March 25, 2021. Brown had barricaded himself in his vehicle threatening to harm himself. The situation was eventually resolved peacefully, and Brown was taken into custody. Brown was ordered to stay away from the child, as well as the family member and their residence.

On Saturday, April 3, Brown reportedly violated those orders by contacting the family member and later arriving at the residence. At around 8 p.m., he reportedly took the boy from the residence and never returned. During the course of the investigation, detectives submitted information to Louisiana State Police which issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory early Sunday morning. Detectives also obtained a warrant for Luke Brown’s arrest.

Later Sunday morning, investigators learned the child was at a residence in Schriever. With assistance from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, a resident of the home transported the child to meet up with deputies, and he was safely returned to the family member. Meanwhile, investigators learned Brown was at the residence. Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the residence, and Brown was taken into custody without incident.

Brown was initially booked into the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex. He was later transferred to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex and booked on warrants for Simple Kidnapping and four counts of Violation of a Protective Order. He was additionally booked on outstanding warrants for Simple Battery and five counts of Contempt of Court. Bail is set at $57,600, and he has been ordered to pay an additional $850 in fines and costs related to the contempt warrants. He is also being held as a fugitive of Assumption Parish due to an outstanding warrant there.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of a Larose man for molestation of a juvenile. Jeremy Moore, 30, was arrested following an investigation.

In March 2021, juvenile detectives opened an investigation into Moore. Detectives learned he reportedly engaged in inappropriate behavior with a juvenile under the age of 13 several years prior. That behavior included forcing the child to touch him in a sexual manner. Following an investigation, detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Moore was arrested in Beauregard Parish on the active warrant on March 28, 2021. He was transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on Wednesday, March 31. He was booked on the warrant for one count of Molestation of a Juvenile Under 13 Years of Age. Bail is set at $100,000.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Bayou Blue man has been arrested for stealing money from a donation box at a Raceland church in February 2021. Rusty Dupre, 23, was also charged in two other investigations including a burglary at a Lafourche Parish Government field office. Shawn Meier, 31, of Bayou Blue, is also wanted in connection with the field office burglary.

On February 2, 2021, deputies responded to a burglary at St. Hilary of Poitiers Catholic Church in Raceland. A man had entered damaged a lock to the candle room door, entered the room and stole cash from the donation box. Surveillance cameras captured images of the man and his vehicle which were released to the public. Crime Stoppers Bayou Region received several tips identifying Rusty Dupre as the suspect, and investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Then on March 8, 2021, detectives began investigating a burglary at the Lafourche Parish Government field office in Bayou Blue. Various items including a television, radio equipment, power tools, and food items were stolen in the incident. Dupre and Meier was identified as suspects in the crime, and detectives obtained warrants in that case.

Nine days later, on March 17, patrol deputies obtained another warrant for Dupre after surveillance cameras captured video of him stealing a basket of snacks a woman had left on her porch for a delivery truck driver.

Finally, on Tuesday, March 30, an anonymous tip provided information on Dupre’s possible whereabouts. This led investigators in the direction to track down Dupre to a hotel in Terrebonne Parish. With assistance from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Dupre was taken into custody at the hotel without incident.

Dupre was transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux on booked on active warrants for two counts of Simple Burglary, Criminal Trespassing, Theft, and Simple Criminal Damage to Property. Bail is set at $78,750.

Detectives are still searching for Shawn Meier in reference to the burglary at the field office in March. Anyone with knowledge of his 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 to Crime Stoppers via the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office mobile app. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.