Arrests on murder, rape charges follow St. Mary indictments

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

Grand jury indictments resulted in the arrests of a Centerville man on a murder charge and Texas and Baton Rouge men on rape charges in a 2007 Franklin case.

St. Mary

Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that over the last 96-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 130 complaints and made these arrests:

--Courtland Jermaine Phillips, 23, Centerville, was arrested at 11:24 p.m. Saturday on an indictment warrant alleging second-degree murder. Bail was set at $1 million.

Phillips is accused in the Dec. 24, 2021, shooting death of Terrell Charles, 23, in a case investigated by the Chitimacha Tribal Police, the District Attorney's Office said.

--Michael Brandon Cocke, 34, Charenton, was arrested at 8:57 p.m. Saturday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on five counts of first-degree rape. Bail was set at $750,000';

--David Allen Ackman, 42, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:06 p.m. Monday on two warrants alleging failure to appear. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Shawn Paul Boudreaux, 44, Centerville, was arrested at 8:11 p.m. Monday on charges of criminal trespass, disturbing the peace (intoxicated), obstruction of public passage, possession of Schedule II drugs and introduction of contraband into a penal facility. Bail was set at $750,000.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to three complaints over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Roderick Phillips, 34, Kingsley Drive, Pearland, Texas, turned himself at 11:42 a.m. Monday on an indictment warrant alleging aggravated rape. Phillips was booked, processed and released on a $250,000 bond.

--Tajh Mathews, 33, Tiger Pointe Drive, Baton Rouge, turned himself at 3:07 p.m. Monday on an indictment warrant alleging aggravated rape. Mathews was booked, processed and released on a $250,000.00 bond.

Phillips and Mathews were arrested based on an indictment by a St. Mary Parish grand jury in a 2007 Franklin Police Department cold case They are two of five people indicted in the case.

--Ashlee Miller, 42, Pine Street, Franklin, while incarcerated at the Franklin Police Department, was arrested at 12:59 p.m. Monday on a warrant for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office alleging battery of a dating partner. Miller was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 51 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Elton Brown Jr., 58 Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:23 a.m. Monday on a probation violation (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Joshua David Dimaggio, 25, Rose Street, Berwick, was arrested at 2:57 p.m. Monday on charges of flight from an officer, general speed law, improper turning, no insurance and failure to secure registration.

Berwick

Chief David S. Leonard reported these arrests:

--Jeffrey Kidd, 53, Berwick, was arrested at 8:57 a.m. Monday on a charge of domestic abuse battery by strangulation.

About 8:15 a.m. Monday, the Berwick Police Department received a report of a domestic altercation at a residence on Second Street. Through the investigation, it was reported that
Kidd had a physical altercation with a female victim, and evidence was gathered linking him to the crime.

Officers made contact with Kidd at his residence. While speaking with the victim it was further learned the the victim was choked at some point. Kidd was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he was booked.

--Cheyene Aucoin, 29, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:01 a.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace.

About 8:35 a.m. Monday, the Berwick Police Department received several calls of a suspicious female causing a disturbance at different businesses and residences. Officers located the female, who was identified as Aucoin.

While speaking with Aucoin, she continued causing a disturbance within the community and was placed under arrest. Aucoin was transported to the Berwick Police Department, where she was booked.