Morgan City man accused in Assumption check-cashing scheme

(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.)

A Morgan City man is the latest of three suspects to be arrested in an investigation into a check-cashing scheme at an Assumption Parish business.

Assumption

Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:

--Justin Dale Adams, 46, Patton Street, Morgan City, was booked Tuesday on charges of identity theft, bank fraud, access device fraud, forgery and monetary instrument abuse.

On Feb. 9, Assumption Parish sheriff’s detectives initiated an investigation regarding forged checks cashed at the outlet.

Detectives determined that in November, three individuals went to the business establishment and cashed a number of checks that were returned from a financial institution as forged.

Detectives obtained arrest warrants for all three suspects.

On May 4, Adams was arrested by the Berwick Police Department on local charges, and a detainer was forwarded to that department.

On Tuesday, the Berwick Police Department transferred custody of Adams to the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Adams was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and remains incarcerated pending a bond hearing.

--Lawrence D. Vandergrifft, 41, La. 70 South, Pierre Part, was booked Monday on a charge of failure to register and notify as a convicted sex offender (child predator).

Vandergrifft is a convicted sex offender and as such is required to maintain sex offender registration requirements.

Detectives determined Vandergrifft failed to notify and register as a convicted sex offender for a period between Oct. 7 and Oct. 18.

Vandergrifft was arrested April 25 in Brazoria County, Texas. He was transferred to the custody of the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office on Monday and remains incarcerated pending a bond hearing.

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported this arrest:

--Pong Sysavath, 49, Lynn Circle, New Iberia, was arrested at 5:25 p.m. Monday on charges of driver’s license suspended or revoked and seat belt violation. Sysavath was issued a citation and released.

Franklin

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

--Toni Bourgeois, 42, Joseph Street, Franklin, was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office alleging simple battery and theft. Bourgeois was booked, processed and released on a $4,000 bond.

--Christian Druilhet, 23, Henshaw Drive, New Iberia, was arrested at 2:58 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of violation of protective order. Druilhet was additionally arrested on a warrant for 16th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of violation of protective order.

Druilhet was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.