UPDATE: The victim has been identified as 31-year-old Bernard Gaudet of Choctaw, Louisiana. The investigation is continuing.
ORIGINAL RELEASE:
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man has died following an overnight shooting in Thibodaux. There is no suspect in custody at this time.
At 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2020, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call about a shooting in the 300 block of Carol Street in Thibodaux. Upon arrival, deputies found a male victim in his 30s sitting in a vehicle with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into this incident is continuing. Anyone with information on 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 to Crime Stoppers through 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.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced three people have been arrested and one is being sought in an ongoing investigation of an aggravated burglary which occurred on Wednesday in Galliano. Investigators have arrested Carles Sudduth, 21, Ramon Ramos, 20, and Magaly Corona, 18, all of Texas. A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Carles Sudduth’s uncle, Christian Sudduth, 39, of Golden Meadow.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on July 22, 2020, deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence on West 215th Street wherein shots were fired. Deputies learned Christian Sudduth had walked up to the residence earlier in the day brandishing a gun and demanded money. When the residents refused, he left claiming he would return with more people and firearms. A short time later, the residents heard someone banging at the door and called 911. One of the residents was outside and was punched by another armed man, later identified as Carles Sudduth. Moments later, shots were fired inside the residence. No one was injured in the shooting.
On Thursday, July 23, investigators located Carles Sudduth in the parking lot at a Cut Off store, and he was detained along with Ramos and Corona who were with him at the time. Two firearms which match the description of those used in the incident were also found inside the vehicle.
Through investigation, detectives learned Ramos, Corona, and the Sudduths were all present at the time of the incident. Ramos and Corona allegedly remained inside a vehicle while the Sudduths were committing the burglary.
All three were arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. Carles Sudduth was charged with Aggravated Burglary, and his bail is set at $100,000. Ramos and Corona were each charged as an Accessory to Aggravated Burglary, and bail is set at $25,000 each.
Meanwhile, detectives have obtained a warrant for Christian Sudduth for Aggravated Burglary. Anyone with any 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 through 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.
From left to right: Capt. Lafate Day, Lt. John Champagne and Lt. Michael Beck Jr.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced three Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office supervisors have graduated with honors from the ninth session of the National Command and Staff College. Captain Lafate Day, Lieutenant John Champagne, and Lieutenant Michael Beck Jr. were among 42 law enforcement commanders from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas who completed the course.
A graduation ceremony was held in Luling, Louisiana, on July 17, 2020. During the ceremony, Captain Day was presented the President’s Award, given to the individual who demonstrates leader and learner responsibility and accountability early in the program and remains consistent throughout, integrating personal and professional leadership and management experiences to support concepts learned.
Lieutenant Champagne and Lieutenant Beck were part of Team Lion which received the Capstone Research Award. The students were divided into several teams to conduct their capstone research for the course. This award is given to the team which exhibits a well-defined, collaborative effort with a focus on written and oral presentation skills and several other elements. Team Lion chose “officer wellness” as their capstone research project, focusing on several factors of physical and mental health and the need for law enforcement agencies nationwide to promote health and wellness with officers. Due to the team’s outstanding work, their findings will be published for agencies to review.
“I’m extremely proud of these three individuals,” said Sheriff Webre. “Not only did they submit to several weeks of classes, studies, and lectures, they did so in addition to their normal duties and amidst a pandemic. On top of that, they distinguished themselves among their classmates, furthering the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office role as a national leader in law enforcement. Now they will apply what they have learned to become better leaders to serve our community.”
The National Command & Staff College was founded in 2010 by the International Academy of Public Safety, Inc. in collaboration with the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Tactical Officers Association. The comprehensive course, which was expanded to 14 weeks for this session, focuses on topics such as leadership theories and practices, social media, recruitment, foresight, policing issues, ethics, and diversity. The course is designed to produce leaders to promote community safety, build mutual trust, maximize officer safety and wellness, foster star performance, and reduce liability and risks. Students read several books, participate in hundreds of hours of course lectures, and write numerous essays each with case studies, discussion questions and classroom simulations.
LPSO Chief Deputy Roy Gros, Major Cortrell Davis (Correctional Complex Warden), and Lieutenant Benjamin Dempster (Investigations Supervisor) all previously graduated from the National Command and Staff College in prior years.
For more information on the National Command and Staff College, go to www.CommandCollege.org.
Lt. Michael Beck Jr.Lt. John ChampagneCaptain Lafate DaySession 9 Class Photo
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre recently announced the promotions of two employees to administer to the corrections regional reentry program based in Lafourche Parish. Captain Karla Beck has been promoted to the Director of Programming and Reentry for the Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, as well as Assistant Warden of the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. Correctional Officer Danielle Finister has been promoted to the position of Assistant Director of Programming and Reentry.
Louisiana has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the United States, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections has worked to reduce this rate for more than 15 years. Approximately 50 percent of incarcerated individuals are assigned to state correctional facilities while the other half are assigned to local-level facilities such as the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex and Transitional Work Program. Throughout their incarceration, the objective is to gradually transition each individual back into society as a productive citizen in an effort to reduce recidivism.
The Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, which is based in Lafourche Parish, prepares individuals for reentry within a seven-parish region including Assumption, Ascension, Lafourche St. James, St. John, St. Charles, and Terrebonne. The program provides case management, counseling, and education to meet each individual’s needs to ensure a productive return to society.
“Public safety is my number one goal when it comes to preparing an individual for community reentry,” Captain Beck said. “We hope to engage the community in any way that we can to reduce their risk of recidivism by working on sustainable employment, affordable housing, community supervision and enhanced human service delivery. I believe that it takes a village to achieve success, and I am fully dedicated to the success of this program.”
Captain Beck has a doctorate in criminal justice management and holds professional licenses in counseling and family therapy. She has an extensive background in the development of social service programs with a focus on victim advocacy and community service and security. Officer Finister, who will serve as Beck’s assistant director, has 14 years of experience in corrections. She also has an associate’s degree and was already part of the reentry team at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where she gained experience in data management and program facilitation.
For more information about the Southeast Central Regional Reentry Program, or to submit ideas for community involvement, please contact Captain Beck at karla-beck@lpso.net.
Captain Karla BeckCorrectional Officer Danielle Finister
Neal Swanner presents the Swanner Scholarship award to Caleb Jungina.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced Central Lafourche High School graduate Caleb Jungina has been selected as the recipient of the 2020 Norman Swanner Foundation Scholarship award for Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office employees and family. He is the stepson of Lieutenant Benjamin Dempster, a supervisor in the Investigations Division. Neal Swanner presented Jungina with his award on July 21, 2020, on behalf of the Norman Swanner Foundation.
Jungina received the $500 scholarship to assist him with expenses as he plans to attend L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College. He plans to enroll in the electrician program to become a certified, licensed electrician.
The Norman Swanner Foundation awards a $500 scholarship annually to one Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office employee or immediate family member who plans to enroll in the fall as a full-time student at Nicholls State University or L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College. The scholarship is awarded as a gift, not a loan, to defray the cost of tuition and related expenses in higher education. An independent board of review selects the winner of the scholarship.
The Norman Swanner Foundation is a non-profit organization created in memory of Norman Swanner, a Thibodaux resident who passed away in 2006. Swanner was a City Councilman at the time of his death. Swanner’s daughter, Jamie Beth Swanner, also passed away in 2012. The Foundation funds several awards and scholarships for students at Nicholls State University and several high schools throughout the region.
Due to COVID-19, the scholarship application deadline was pushed back, resulting in a delay in the review process and notification to the recipient.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced the arrest of Camoran Leblanc, 18, of Cut Off on July 16, 2020. Earlier this week, juvenile detectives opened an investigation after learning of allegations that Leblanc had sex with two 13-year-old girls. Following forensic interviews with the alleged victims, detectives questioned Leblanc. During questioning he admitted to having sex with one of the girls. Due to the age difference being greater than four years, Leblanc was arrested for two counts of Felony Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile and transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux where he was booked accordingly. Bail is set at $10,000.
Sheriff Craig Webre announced Thibodaux High School graduate Adler Verdin has been awarded the 2020 Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship for Lafourche Parish. Verdin will receive the $500 scholarship to assist him with expenses as he plans to attend Nicholls State University and major in computer information systems and accounting. On his application, Verdin indicated plans to attain a Master’s Degree in accounting and hopes to work at either an accounting firm or software development company. He also hopes to one day start his own company.
Sheriff Webre congratulated Verdin on receiving the scholarship. “Mr. Verdin is an accomplished young man having garnered many awards and honors during his high school years,” said Sheriff Webre. “I wish him good luck as he moves on to the next chapter in his life and begins to pursue his dreams.”
The Louisiana Sheriffs’ Educational Scholarship Program awards $500 to graduating high school students in parishes where the sheriffs are members of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Honorary Membership Program. Funding for this scholarship is made possible through the generous support of Lafourche Parish’s Honorary Members. The goal of the program is to provide assistance to worthy Louisiana students in furthering their education and training with resources made available through the program.
To be eligible for the LSA scholarship, each applicant must be a Lafourche Parish resident and a high school senior planning to enroll as a full-time student at Nicholls State University or L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College. The scholarship is awarded as a gift, not a loan, to defray the rising costs of tuition and related expenses in higher education. An independent board of review selects the winner of the scholarship.
Due to COVID-19, the scholarship application deadline was pushed back to May 15, 2020. This resulted in a delay in the review process and notification to the recipient.
Sheriff Craig Webre has announced an update to impacts on the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office in reference to the statewide mask mandate enacted by Governor John Bel Edwards – the latest development in the ongoing public health emergency involving COVID-19.
Per the Governor’s proclamation, effective July 13, 2020, every individual in Louisiana is required to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial establishment or any other building or space open to the public, whether indoor or outdoor. There are exceptions including children under the age of eight and individuals with medical conditions. The proclamation also limits all bars to curbside delivery or drive-through service only, and crowd sizes are limited to 50 people with some exceptions. A full list of exceptions is included in the Governor’s proclamation.
Regarding enforcement, the Governor’s proclamation states that citations “shall be written only to businesses or organizations, other than religious organizations, that fail to enforce the requirement to wear face coverings.” The proclamation also indicates that GOHSEP and the State Fire Marshal are directed to ensure compliance. Therefore, anyone wishing to report someone for not wearing a mask at an establishment should do so to an employee of that establishment. If the response is unsatisfactory, you may then contact the State Fire Marshal at 1-800-256-5452.
“We are not the ‘mask police,’ but we do have a duty to uphold the law,” said Sheriff Webre. “The Governor’s order does not give the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office the authority to issue citations or arrest anyone for not wearing a mask. We will, however, enforce all other applicable laws, including any broken as a result of someone being asked to wear a mask. We strongly encourage everyone to comply with the Governor’s order and to respect our business owners and employees who are simply trying to follow the mandate.”
In the spirit of cooperation with the Governor’s proclamation and the public, Sheriff Webre has also announced that all employees of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will wear a face covering when interacting with the public in person. Likewise, all members of the public will be required to wear a mask upon entry to any LPSO facility unless exempted by the Governor’s order. Masks will be provided for those without one. Signage will be posted outside each facility with further direction.
“Our deputies and employees will honor this mandate just as we hope our citizens will,” said Sheriff Webre. “The Governor’s proclamation has several exceptions, so please be aware that just because you see someone not wearing a mask, it does not mean they are in violation of the Governor’s order. We know some people will find any way around wearing a mask, but we hope the majority of Lafourche Parish citizens understand the reason for the mandate and comply as part of the greater effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
For more local information regarding the ongoing fight against COVID-19, please go to LPSO.net/coronavirus.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a registered sex offender has been arrested for inappropriately touching juveniles and possession of child pornography. Nelson Naquin, 58, of Raceland was initially arrested on June 23, 2020, and he was booked on additional charges on Tuesday, July 7.
Naquin has been registered as a Tier 2 Sex Offender since being convicted of Molestation of a Juvenile and Pornography Involving Juveniles in 2004.
In late June 2020, juvenile detectives began investigating Naquin for reportedly touching teenage boy inappropriately. He was arrested at his residence on June 23, 2020, for one count of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux.
Juvenile detectives continued their investigation into Naquin and learned he had sexually assaulted another teenage boy. They also found he had been in possession of child pornography and had failed to comply with registration laws as a registered sex offender. Detectives obtained warrants for new charges including another count of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile, 22 counts of Pornography Involving Juveniles, and Failure of Sex Offenders to Notify Law Enforcement of Change of Address/Residence or Other Registration Information. He was booked on the additional charges on Tuesday. His bail is now set at $600,000.
Due to the nature of the crimes, no further details will be released at this time.
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a second suspect wanted for attempted murder in connection with a March 2020 shooting in Abby Subdivision has been arrested. Kayvon Woodside, 20, of Gray was arrested in Terrebonne Parish last week. Woodside and a teenage female are each charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice in the incident.
At 10:30 p.m. on March 31, 2020, deputies responded to a report of shots being heard in the area of Abby Subdivision in Thibodaux. Through investigation, detectives learned that Woodside and the girl had planned to rob a male Thibodaux resident who is in his 20s. The two lured the victim to Abby Subdivision, and once he arrived, Woodside allegedly fired several rounds toward the victim’s vehicle. The victim returned fire and then left the scene uninjured. Detectives learned the girl had deleted all text messages exchanged with Woodside to destroy any evidence in the conversations. The female, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice. She remains at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux with bail now set at $250,000.
Then on July 1, 2020, authorities received information about Woodside’s whereabouts in Terrebonne Parish. Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, with assistance from the Houma Police Department, located and arrested Woodside. He was later transported to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where he was booked on the aforementioned charges. His bail is also set at $1.05 million.
