Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office

UPDATE: LA 1 now OPEN south of Golden Meadow

LA Highway 1 is now OPEN from Golden Meadow to Leeville and Port Fourchon. Per Lafourche Parish Government, the mandatory evacuation for south of the Leon Theriot Locks in Golden Meadow has also been lifted. ‪Residents in that area should use caution when returning to their property as water is still high off the roadways. Some properties may still be inaccessible.

LA 1 continuing to Grand Isle is now accessible for property owners and emergency services, but access is limited in that direction. Please use caution when traveling recently cleared roadways.

For continuing updates, go to LPSO.net/STORM.

LPSO Administrative Offices to Close for Tropical Storm Barry

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre has announced that the administrative offices of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office shall close at 2:00 PM today (July 12, 2019) in advance of the arrival of Tropical Storm Barry. Offices are set to open on Monday, July 15, 2019, at 8:00 A.M. barring any additional complications that may arise relative to the storm.

Residents can rest assured that all necessary functions required to serve and protect our communities are in place as we are proactively doubling our patrol section and utilizing all available equipment in advance of Tropical Storm Barry’s arrival. In the event of an emergency, please call 911. For non-emergencies, call (985) 532-2808.

Sheriff Webre encourages all residents to take necessary precautions in advance of the storm. We are actively working with other parish emergency officials to ensure that all aspects of storm preparation and recovery are utilized.

Keep up to date with all emergency information relative to Lafourche Parish on our website: LPSO.net/STORM.

Sheriff Webre Announces Preparations for Tropical Storm Barry

Sheriff Craig Webre reported the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office is working with all other parish agencies to closely monitor Tropical Storm Barry as it approaches the coast. The National Weather Service indicated this system could produce 10-20 inches of rain in Lafourche Parish over the next few days. All important information relevant to Lafourche Parish is available on our website at www.LPSO.net/STORM.

A recommended evacuation has been issued for all areas south of the Leon Theriot Lock in Golden Meadow including Port Fourchon. Barring significant changes, parish officials plan to issue a mandatory evacuation for that area at 6 a.m. on Friday, July 12. If that occurs, a shelter of last resort will be opened at the Raceland Recreation Center located at 241 Recreation Drive in Raceland. As of noon on Thursday, a mandatory evacuation had already been issued for Grand Isle (Jefferson Parish).

All residents and business owners are encouraged to make preparations today. While there is no planned closure of LA Highway 1 in this area, officials do expect the road to become impassable at some point.

“Now is the time to complete your storm preparations,” said Sheriff Webre. “We encourage all residents to pick up their emergency supplies and secure their property today. There is still uncertainty about the exact timing of inclement weather on Friday. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Patrol Section will be supplemented with additional deputies beginning Friday morning to attend to calls for service. Sheriff Webre has also assigned trustees to assist in filling sandbags. A full list of sandbag locations is available on our website. Per Lafourche Parish Government, residents seeking sandbags should bring a shovel and plan to fill them on their own in case none are readily available upon arrival.

The offices of the Lafourche Parish District Attorney and Clerk of Court will be closed on Friday, July 12, but the 17th Judicial District Court Divisions A and E will be open (Divisions B, C, and D will be closed). Anyone scheduled for court in Division A or E should attend. The Lafourche Parish Assessor’s Office has not yet made a determination about their office hours for Friday. Garbage pickup in the unincorporated areas of Lafourche Parish has been canceled for Friday and Saturday. Please secure all trash bins.

The Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter is currently at full capacity. Therefore, deputies will be unable to pick up stray animals except in the event of a bite, injured animal, or other extreme circumstances.

Contact the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office with any weather-related issues at (985) 532-2808, or simply dial 9-1-1 in an emergency. “Our staff is dedicated to ensuring public safety,” said Sheriff Webre. “We will continue working with parish emergency officials to monitor this storm and take the necessary actions to keep the citizens of Lafourche protected.”

Please visit www.LPSO.net/STORM for all important information relevant to Lafourche Parish and check back often for updates. Information on our website is updated frequently and collected from all parish agencies to keep you posted with the most critical and up-to-date information. You can also monitor social media for updates by following @LafourcheSO on Facebook and Twitter.

UPDATE: Crime Stoppers Tip Leads to Arrest of Murder Suspect in May 2019 Shooting

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced an anonymous tip led to the arrest of a suspect wanted for the murder of a Montegut man in May 2019. Devante Matthews, 21, of Montegut was arrested at his mother’s residence by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. Matthews is charged with Second Degree murder along with Terance Dupre, 22, of Montegut in the shooting death of 53-year-old Kirby Courteaux. Matthews’ mother, Rhonda Dardar, 40, of Gray is now also charged as an accessory after the fact in addition to a 16-year-old who was previously charged as an accessory.

An anonymous tip was submitted to Crime Stoppers Bayou Region indicating Matthews was at his mother’s residence in Gray. On Tuesday afternoon, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies located Matthews at the residence, and he was taken into custody. Matthews’ mother, Dardar, was present and was also arrested and charged as an accessory after the fact.

Matthews and Dardar were booked into the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex. Dardar was booked on the aforementioned accessory charge as well as a contempt warrant. Her bail is set at $251,500. Matthews was booked on warrants for Simple Robbery and Contempt of Court in Terrebonne Parish. He will later be transferred to the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex where he will be held in lieu of $1 million bail.

As previously released, on May 14, 2019, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office began an investigation when a family member reported he had been missing since May 11. On May 15, TPSO deputies took Terance Dupre into custody after he was found driving the victim’s vehicle. This led investigators to learn of a shooting incident that occurred in Pointe-Aux-Chenes (Lafourche Parish) and eventually led to the discovery of Courteaux’s body in Morgan City.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives learned Dupre, Devante Matthews, and Courteaux were at a boat launch in Point-aux-Chenes on the night of May 11, 2019, when Courteaux was reportedly shot multiple times. Matthews and Dupre took Courteaux’s body and his truck. They picked up a 16-year-old male and transported Courteaux’s body to Morgan City where they left him near a wooded area.

Dupre was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on the charge of Second Degree Murder, and his bail is set at $1 million. The 16-year-old was charged with Accessory After the Fact to Second Degree Murder, and he was placed into the Lafourche Parish Juvenile Justice Facility in Thibodaux.

LPSO to Conduct Online Tax Title Sale on July 24, 2019

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will host a tax title sale on Wednesday, July 24, 2019. The tax sale will begin at 8 A.M. and conclude at 8 P.M. or earlier if all properties are sold. By hosting the sale online, bidders that would not normally be able to attend the auction in person are still able to participate.

This sale is open to the general public. Free registration and a list of available properties are now available through our website at www.LPSO.net. Bidders are encouraged to participate online from the comfort and privacy of their own computer, but if you wish to attend in person, a limited number of computer terminals will be available on the date of the tax sale on the third floor of the Ferd H. Block Building, located at 200 West 2nd Street in Thibodaux. These computer terminals will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. An LPSO representative will be on hand to answer any questions and direct you to a computer terminal.

A tax title sale is the sale of properties that have delinquent taxes due. The tax titles for these properties are sold to the public for the amount of the delinquent taxes due, plus any accrued interest, penalties, costs and other statutory impositions. The tax title sale is a “low bid wins” style auction in which the property is sold to the purchaser willing to bid on the least percent ownership interest in the property. Winning bidders of the tax sale are expected to pay for their purchases within 72 hours of the close of the auction. Payment must be made in full, and all sales are final.

Property owners must remit property tax payments by 4:00 P.M. on July 23, 2019, to avoid having their property subject to sale. Bills not paid in full by this time will result in the property being sold at the tax sale on July 24, 2019. Tax payments can be made at the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Administration Office (200 Canal Boulevard, Thibodaux) or at the South Lafourche Sub-station (102 W. 91st Street, Cut Off). For additional information, property owners can call the Thibodaux office at (985) 449-4431 or the Galliano office at (985) 632-5844.

This auction and all future tax sales can be viewed online at www.LPSO.net. The link is just below the gold-colored “Tax Sale” graphic on the LPSO homepage. Using the convenient search options, bidders can set the parameters for any property that falls within their interests and budget.

Raceland Man Arrested on Several Charges including Fourth DWI Offense and Drug Charges

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Raceland man has been charged with his fourth DWI offense following a traffic stop. Wilfred Harris was also found with a variety of drugs and faces several charges in the case.

At around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, July 8, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Bowie Road in Raceland. Deputies made contact with the driver and identified him as Wilfred Harris. Deputies detected the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle. A K-9 unit responded to the scene and alerted to the possible presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located seven small bags containing suspected marijuana. Harris also had 45 doses of MDMA and 35 doses of hydrocodone in his possession, as well as small amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine.

While speaking to deputies, Harris admitted to smoking marijuana and consuming alcohol prior to driving. He performed poorly on a field sobriety test. Harris’ blood was drawn for analysis, and the results are pending.

During the course of the stop, deputies learned Harris was arrested on June 1, 2019 for his third DWI charge and was supposed to have an interlock device inside his vehicle, but there was none. He also had a temporary license plate which was improperly displayed.

Harris was arrested and booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with DWI (4th Offense) and Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana, MDMA, and Hydrocodone. He was also charged with Possession of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine, as well as no required ignition interlock device and improper display of a temporary license plate. Bail is set at $103,850.

One Arrested, One Sought in Mathews Department Store Theft

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced one man was arrested and another is being sought for stealing merchandise from a department store in Mathews. Nolan Ross, 19, of Houma, was arrested for theft and resisting. Deputies are seeking to identify a second suspect and person of interest in the case.

At around 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, deputies responded to a shoplifting complaint at the Walmart Supercenter on LA Highway 1 in Mathews. Upon arrival, deputies learned two men had stolen a large television from the store. Deputies observed two men at the scene fitting the description of the suspects. As deputies began walking toward the men, they began running away toward LA 1. The two suspects then crossed LA 1 to the bayouside area near Bayou Lafourche. Deputies proceeded to the area and took one of the suspects into custody. That suspect was later identified as Nolan Ross. Deputies searched the area for the other suspect but were unable to locate him at that time.

Upon further investigation, deputies discovered Ross and a second male suspect stole a total of four televisions, a drone, and other items. Deputies located some of the stolen property in Ross’ car and returned it to the store.

Ross was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with Theft and Resisting an Officer. Bail is set at $1,500.

The investigation into the case is continuing. In addition to the second suspect, deputies are also seeking to identify a person of interest in the case – another male seen in the store with Ross. Anyone who can identify either of these individuals 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.

Shoplifting Suspect 07072019 — Shoplifting Suspect

Shoplifting Person Of Interest 07072019 — Shoplifting Person Of Interest

Seat Belt Checkpoint Slated for July 10, 2019

Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will conduct a seat belt checkpoint in Lafourche Parish during the daytime hours of July 10, 2019. During this checkpoint, deputies will be checking motorists for seat belt and safety seat violations, as well as for proper inspection tags and other potential violations.

Checkpoints are designed to help raise awareness for these types of violations and make the highways of the parish safer for all motorists.

Lockport Fugitive Arrested After Pursuit in Raceland on Wednesday Night

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man wanted for felony theft and using counterfeit bills was arrested following a pursuit in Raceland on Wednesday night. Tray Caramonta, 31, of Lockport was arrested on the active warrants and faces additional charges.

Just after 10:30 p.m. on July 3, 2019, deputies responded to a report of a fugitive, Tray Caramonta, driving westbound on U.S. Highway 90. Caramonta had four active warrants for his arrest. Deputies located the suspect vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Caramonta refused to stop and continued driving at a high rate of speed, eventually turning onto LA Highway 182. As deputies pursued, they saw Caramonta throw items out of the vehicle’s window. At the intersection of LA 182 and LA 1, deputies deployed spike strips which struck all four of Caramonta’s tires. As Caramonta turned south onto LA 1, his vehicle began to slow, and he eventually stopped just off the highway.

Deputies made contact with Caramonta and took him into custody. He was found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Upon reviewing video from the dashboard cameras, deputies returned to the area where Caramonta had thrown items from the window. There, they located several pieces of torn counterfeit bills.

Caramonta was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex on the warrants for Felony Theft, Monetary Instrument Abuse, and two counts of Contempt of Court. He was additionally charged with Aggravated Flight from an Officer, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Obstruction of Justice, and one additional count of Monetary Instrument Abuse. A bond from a previous arrest for drug offenses was also surrendered. His total bail amount is set at $146,600.

Larose Man Charged with Home Invasion and Violation of a Protective Order

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a Larose man has been arrested for a home invasion of an ex-girlfriend’s residence. Jarrod Lorraine, 51, is also charged with violating a protective order in the incident.

Shortly after 9 a.m. on July 1, deputies responded to a Larose residence after receiving a 911 call about a man who had violated a protective order. When deputies arrived, they made contact with the woman who had called 911. Deputies learned an ex-boyfriend, Jarrod Lorraine, had entered the residence without permission and got into an argument and a struggle ensued. The woman made several attempts to get Lorraine to leave, but he refused. At one point, the woman was able to grab a phone and called 911. At that time, Lorraine ran out of the residence.

Deputies verified the protective order was in place following Lorraine’s arrest for domestic abuse battery and false imprisonment in May 2019. Deputies searched the area, located Lorraine, and took him into custody.

Lorraine was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux. He was charged with Home Invasion and Violation of a Protective Order. His bail is set at $100,000.

Lorraine has a history of domestic violence and his criminal history includes more than 20 arrests in Lafourche Parish alone. In addition to the aforementioned charges, he has also been arrested for aggravated battery, unauthorized entry, property damage, criminal trespassing, three DWI charges, resisting arrest, and various drug charges.