SO employee fired; teens accused of possessing guns; MC man accused of bringing gun to payroll dispute
(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 St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office employee accused of domestic abuse battery has been booked on warrants and fired, the Sheriff’s Office said.
In Morgan City, five teenagers, including two juveniles, were arrested on handgun charges following a traffic stop early Monday. And in Amelia, a Morgan City man is accused of brandishing a gun in a payroll dispute.
St. Mary
Sheriff Gary Driskell reported these arrests:
--Blaze Phillip Bourg, 47, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 7:11 p.m. Thursday on warrants alleging domestic abuse battery and second-degree battery.
About 7:50 p.m. July 6, deputies with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a reported disturbance involving SMPSO employee Bourg and another individual who lives at the residence.
The responding deputy made contact with Bourg and conducted an on-scene investigation. As a result, Bourg was placed under arrest for domestic abuse battery and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking.
Following agency protocol, Bourg was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation conducted by the Office of Professional Standards.
As the investigation progressed, follow-up interviews with the victim were conducted, and the victim made known to investigators previous incidents of alleged abuse. The reported incidents occurred in October 2023 and another in June 2025.
One incident resulted in a physical injury to the victim’s hand, which required surgery to repair.
While investigating these claims, investigators obtained video and audio evidence, in addition to witness statements, which substantiated the victim's account of what occurred. The investigator obtained warrants for simple battery-domestic and second-degree battery.
On Thursday, Bourg turned himself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking.
At the time of his arrest, Bourg’s employment with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office was terminated.
Driskell issued the following statement:
“𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑢𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛. 𝐻𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑤 𝑒𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑤. 𝑊𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑤𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑠.
“𝑊e ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑚, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑢𝑠. 𝑂𝑢𝑟 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖on𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦.”
--Austin Jacob Vercher, 26, Patterson, was arrested at 8:03 p.m. Thursday on a Patterson Police Department warrant alleging domestic abuse battery, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and simple rape. Bail was set at $210,000.
--Natosha Lynn Hillebran, 47, Centerville, was arrested at 5:07 p.m. Friday on a charge of violation of protective orders. Bail was set at $5,000.
--Darla Rose Percle, 37, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 2:17 p.m. Saturday on a charge of parole violation. Bail has not been set at this time.
--Grant Paul Johnson, 47, Pierre Part, was arrested at 10:21 p.m. Sunday on charges of unauthorized entry of a place of business and theft. Bail was set at $30,000.
--Sherrica Lynn Theriot, 44, Pierre Part, was arrested at 10:21 p.m. Sunday on charges of unauthorized entry of a place of business, criminal trespass and accessory. Bail was set at $16,500.
--Sydney Walker, 37, Patterson, was arrested by the Narcotics Section at 2:55 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of alprazolam and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a drug-free zone.
Walker was released on a $6,500 bond.
--Devontrae Devontrell Williams, 24, Franklin, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. July 8 on a warrant alleging failure to appear on the charges of criminal trespass, violation of a protective order and resisting an officer. Williams was released on a $12,000 bond.
--Kyle Steven Christensen, 38, Patterson, was arrested at 9:44 p.m. July 9 on a charge of violation of protective orders and on a failure to appear warrant for theft. Bail has not been set at this time.
Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported this arrest:
--Anthony Paul Hebert, 40, Second Street, Morgan City, was arrested Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm).
Deputies were dispatched to a location in the 100 block of Bayou Boeuf Road. The deputies made contact with the complainant, who advised that an individual now identified as Hebert showed up at work and engaged supervision in an argument over a payroll issue.
Hebert was in possession of a handgun and directed threats toward persons on site. Hebert left the location but indicated he would return with an assault-style firearm if necessary to resolve the issue.
Deputies contacted the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, who were able to locate Hebert at his residence in Morgan City and took him into custody. A large-caliber handgun was recovered.
Hebert was released to the custody of the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office on Friday and was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center, where he was released after posting a $25,000 bond.
Falcon thanked the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this matter.
Morgan City
Chief Chad M. Adams reported these arrests:
--Oriana Morin, 17, Jones Street, Berwick, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. Monday on charges of illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile, unlawful possession of tobacco by a person under 21 and resisting an officer.
--Jamyre Bias, 17, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. Monday on charges of illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile, unlawful possession of tobacco by a person under 21 and disturbing the peace.
--Ra'shon Watkins, 17, Garber Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. Monday on charges of illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile and unlawful possession of tobacco by a person under 21.
--Justin Cheramie, 44, Chestnut Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:59 a.m. Friday on a charge of failure to appear for arraignment (6th Ward Morgan City Court).
--Shawn Lovell, 22, River Road, Berwick, was arrested at 11:15 a.m. Friday on charges of disturbing the peace (intoxicated) and remaining where forbidden.
--Nicole Percle, 49, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested 8:23 p.m. Friday on two counts of failure to appear to pay fines (6th Ward Morgan City Court).
--Jeremie Hanks, 47, Brownell Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:54 a.m. Saturday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer and failure to appear to pay fines (6th Ward Morgan City
Court).
--Skyla Jones, 21, Fallon Drive, Houma, was arrested at 10:55 a.m. Saturday on a charge of simple assault.
--Randy Hatcher, 46, Aucoin Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:38 p.m. Saturday on a charge of remaining where forbidden.
--Brian Kent, 58, Chennault Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 5:06 p.m. Sunday on charges of domestic abuse battery and interfering with emergency communication.
--Fernassishyha Griffen, 25, Wren Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:16 p.m. Saturday on a charge of failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court).
--Calvin S. Singleton, 43, Levee Road, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:32 p.m. Thursday on a warrant alleging failure to appear for arraignment (6th Ward Morgan City Court).
--Laini Ducharme, 19, Fremin Road, New Iberia, was arrested at 7:58 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. (Released on summons.)
--Helen M. Lovell, 25, Federal Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:59 p.m. Thursday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense) and careless operation.
--Gared C. Stevens, 45, Arenz Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 5:31 a.m. Friday on a warrant alleging failure to pay fine.
--Andee Nelson, 48, Second Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:16 p.m. July 9 on charges of possession of marijuana and expired registration.
Berwick
Chief David Leonard Sr. reported this arrest:
--Allie Williams, 18, Berwick, was arrested at 11:49 p.m. Sunday on a Berwick warrant alleging cyberstalking.
Franklin
Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:
--Shawntina Solari, 47, Lake Dauterive Road, Loreauville, was arrested at 8:58 a.m. Friday on charges of speeding and careless operation. Solari was booked, processed and released on a $574 bond.
--Dwayne Collins, 48, Martin Luther King Road, Charenton, was arrested at 2:08 a.m. Saturday on charges of stop sign, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, suspended driver’s license, evidence of motor vehicle liability security contained in
vehicle, obscenity, obstruction of justice, resisting an officer by refusing to identify and disturbing the peace (language). Collins was booked, processed and held on a $10,000 bond.
--Trevon Wesley, 31, Avenue D, Broussard, was arrested at 11:41 a.m. Saturday on charges of speeding and careless operation. Wesley was booked, processed and released on a $644 bond.
--Anthony Ruffin, 43, Oneal Chube Street, Franklin, was arrested at 10:36 p.m. Saturday on a warrant dated March 26 alleging simple criminal damage to property. Ruffin was booked, processed and held on a $50,000 bond.
--Runiqa Baker, 33, Marie Street, Patterson, was arrested at 5:21 p.m. Sunday on a charge of speeding. Baker was booked, processed and released on a $398 bond.
--Bryceson Freeman, 27, Rogers Street, New Iberia, was arrested at 6:53 p.m. Thursday on charges of theft and obstruction of justice. Freeman was additionally arrested on a warrant for New Iberia Police Department alleging resisting an officer by failure to identify, improper display of license plate and possession of Schedule I drugs, and on a warrant for Lafayette Police Department alleging penalty for distribution or possession with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule II drugs and possession of Schedule IV drugs. Freeman was booked, processed and held on a $23,599 bond.
--Breuhna Hayes, 31, Rogers Street, New Iberia, was arrested at 6:54 p.m. Sunday on charges of theft and obstruction of justice. Hayes was booked, processed and held on a $15,000 bond.