Suspects accused of stealing $5,000 of alcohol, cigarettes

Two people have been accused of stealing roughly $5,000 worth of alcohol and cigarettes from a Morgan City store, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

—Harley Duval, 23, of Allison Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of theft between $5,000 and $25,000.

—Arthur Welsh Jr., 23, of Oak Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of theft between $5,000 and $25,000.

Officers were called to a business to investigate a theft. Duval and Welsh were identified as suspects in the thefts. The suspects allegedly took $5,096 worth of alcohol and cigarettes from the store. Officers spoke with both Duval and Welsh and both admitted that they took items from the business without paying for them, Blair said. Duval and Welsh were jailed.

Blair reported that officers responded to 34 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Joseph Davis, 58, of Leona Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:46 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, transactions involving proceeds from a drug transaction and violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone.

Narcotics division investigators served a search warrant at a home on Leona Street. Davis was located at the home. During the search, detectives located suspected cocaine inside the home, Blair said. The home is also located in a drug-free zone. Davis was jailed.

—Glen A. Johnson, 59, of Lincoln Avenue in Baldwin, was arrested at 2:41 p.m. Tuesday on charges of speeding, no driver’s license and no registration.

A patrol officer in the area of Railroad Avenue conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle which he observed speeding in a school zone. Johnson, the driver, did not have a driver’s license or a valid registration for the vehicle, Blair said. Johnson was jailed.

—Courtnie Chenevert, 35, of Onstead Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday on a city court warrant for failure to appear and on charges of driving under suspension, resisting an officer by giving false information, obstruction of justice, possession of hydrocodone and possession of benzphetamine.

Officers responded to a complaint from a business about a vehicle which had been in the parking lot for an extended period of time. Officer arrived and located the vehicle and Chenevert.

Police knew of outstanding warrants on Chenevert at which time she identified herself as another person. As officers were attempting to arrest Chenevert , they noticed that she was attempting to eat something. As officers were stopping her, they noticed that she had several pills in her hand. Chenevert was jailed.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported deputies responded to 44 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:

—Brian Henderson, 34, of Utah Street in Berwick, was arrested at 6:44 p.m. Tuesday on charges of resisting an officer, obstruction of justice, possession of heroin, possession of marijuana, possession of over 28 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of a controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone, possession of over 28 grams of a counterfeit controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, criminal trespass and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor.

—Harold Henderson Sr., 69, of Utah Street in Berwick, was arrested at 5:41 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana and violation of a controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone.

The Berwick Police Department and St. Mary Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section conducted a joint investigation into illegal drug activity on Utah Street in Berwick. When Berwick police officers responded to a separate complaint at Brian Henderson’s home, he fled on foot, running through several yards, Hebert said.

Narcotics detectives pursued Brian Henderson on foot and observed him discard a plastic bag containing heroin. Detectives apprehended Brian Henderson and recovered two plastic bags containing heroin and a marijuana cigarette along the path where Brian Henderson fled.

During a search of Brian Henderson’s home and a secondary location on Utah Street, investigators located heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine and Epsom salt, the sheriff said. Detectives collected evidence that Brian Henderson was selling the illegal drugs and selling the Epsom salt as methamphetamine, Hebert said.

Detectives found a marijuana cigarette in Harold Henderson’s room, the sheriff said. There were two juveniles present at the home at the time the drugs were located, Hebert said. The home is within 2,000 feet of a church.

Investigators also located an active warrant for Brian Henderson for parole violation. Brian Henderson was jailed with no bail set. Harold Henderson was released on a summons to appear in court March 7.

—Chad Toups, 43, of Dorris Street in Amelia, was arrested at 9:10 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of criminal trespass. A deputy observed a man walking on the train tracks in Amelia. As the deputy approached, the man fled from the area. The deputy later located the man, identified as Toups, on Friendship Alley, Hebert said. Toups was jailed with bail set at $1,000.

—Derrick Kelly, 23, of La. 182 in Centerville, was arrested at 2:03 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance and obstruction of justice.

Narcotics detectives investigating possible illegal drug activity made contact with Kelly who was in a vehicle parked in a parking lot off La. 182 in Morgan City. Detectives smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and Kelly, the sheriff said.

After receiving consent to search the vehicle, detectives located a handgun. While speaking with Kelly, a detective observed him drop a bag of marijuana to the ground, Hebert said. Kelly was jailed and then released on $7,500 bail.

Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reported the following arrests relating to the Tri-City area:

—Kelton Smith, 20, of Murial Street in Bayou L’Ourse , was arrested on charges of aggravated burglary and possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

The alleged burglary occurred Jan. 17 on Rudy Drive in Pierre Part. Several guns had been reported stolen from the home and at least two suspects fled on foot, but, at the time, they could not be identified, Falcon said.

Detectives were able to identify a juvenile as well as Smith as being the two individuals leaving the home, Falcon said.

A third suspect, identified as Allen Landry, 17, of Pierre Part, was also identified as a suspect and was charged at the time, Falcon said. Landry was also charged at the time with a prior theft of less than $750 from the same home, Falcon said.

Arrest warrants were filed against Smith shortly after the incident. Smith was transferred Monday from Concordia Parish to the Assumption Parish Detention Center. His bail was set at $40,000.

— Decator Jake Crochet, 20, of Elaine Street in Bayou L’Ourse , was arrested on a probation and parole warrant and on a charge of failure to register or notify as a convicted sex offender or child predator

On Nov. 17, the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Offices initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint involving juveniles from a local school.

During the investigation, detectives determined that Crochet, a registered sex offender named in the original complaint, had registered as residing at a home on Elaine Street in Bayou L’Ourse and reported as living alone, Falcon said.

Crochet’s original conviction occurred in St. Mary Parish in September and was for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. As a result of that conviction, restrictions were placed on Crochet prohibiting him from residing with anyone under the age of 18.

Investigators determined that Crochet was in fact living with a woman and three minor children at the Bayou L’Ourse address, Falcon said. Crochet failed to disclose that information during sex offender registration, Falcon said. Detectives also determined that Crochet resided with the children before and after his registration process. Crochet also faces a possible probation and parole revocation.

Chitimacha Police Chief Hal Hutchinson reported the following arrest relating to east St. Mary Parish:

—Erica Wilson, 39, of Tupelo Street in Morgan City, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of theft and a 16th Judicial District Court warrant for failure to appear for arraignment on charges of speeding and expired driver’s license.

She was transported to the parish jail.

Officers had responded to a tribal business in reference to a possible theft. During the investigation, officers learned that Wilson had committed the theft, Hutchinson said. She also had an active warrant for her arrest.