Theft, drug charges reported locally

(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.)

Morgan City police reported a pair of arrests on theft charges in the last week, while Patterson officers made an arrest on drug charges.

A traffic stop in Assumption led to a foot chase and the arrest of a man wanted on home invasion and domestic violence charges in Rapides.

Morgan City

Chad M. Adams reported these arrests:

--Kelton Smith, 28, Mural Street, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested at 9 a.m. Thursday on charges of theft (less than $1,000) and criminal trespass.

--Richard Ruelas, 34, La. 182, Patterson, was arrested at 9:41 p.m. Saturday on a charge of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Francell Byrd, 42, La. 70, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:43 p.m. Sunday on a charge of failure to appear for arraignment (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Glen Jude Fangue, 56, South Street, Gibson, was arrested at 4:25 p.m. Thursday on a charge of theft (under $1,000).

--Peggy Alysia Cloud, 31, Ward Cloud Road, Glenmora, was arrested at 3:45 a.m. Nov. 12 on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), child endangerment law, reckless operation of a vehicle and driving under suspension.

--Curtis Paul Gaudet Sr., 52, Lake Palourde Road, Amelia, was arrested at 9:14 a.m. Nov. 12 on charges of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court) and failure to appear for arraignment (16th Judicial District Court).

--Ashley Jennies, 38, Two Sisters Lane, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:16 a.m. Nov. 12 on charges of hit-and-run driving and no driver’s license. (Released on summons.)

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported these arrests:

--Charmain M. Hebert, 39, Main Street, Patterson, was arrested at 10:26 p.m. Sunday on charges of introduction of contraband into a penal institution, possession of Schedule II drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice (evidence tampering), and driving with license suspended or revoked.

Hebert is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with no bond set.

--Jared D. Triche, Honeysuckle Drive, Schriever, was arrested at 11:24 p.m. Sunday on a Lafourche Parish warrant alleging failure to appear and a charge of simple battery.

Triche is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with bond set at $5,000.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported these arrests:

--Lacy Rene Lapoint, 31, Patterson, was arrested at 5:55 p.m. Sunday on a charge of battery of a dating partner. Lapoint was released on a $2,500 bond.

--Hilda Darlene Rose Randolph, 34, Patterson, was arrested at 5:55 p.m. Sunday on a charge of violation of protective orders. Randolph was released on a $2,500 bond.

--Laura Ann Rogers, 55, Houma, was arrested at 9:58 p.m. Thursday on a charge of simple battery. Bail was set at $1,500.

--Katherine Nicole Simmons, 37, Larose, LA, was arrested on November 15, 2025, at 10:17 pm on five Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office warrants. Simmons was transported to another jurisdiction.

--Curstone Paul Alfred, 49, Jeanerette, was arrested at 3:35 a.m. Sunday on charges of simple burglary, theft, simple criminal damage to property and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:

--Wynn Whitehurst, 50, Jupiter Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:52 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of speeding. Whitehurst was booked, processed and released on a $338 bond.

--James Knight, 64, Norman Bauer Drive, Franklin, was arrested at 3:59 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on charges of speeding and no seat belt. Knight was booked, processed and released on a $368 bond.

Assumption

Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:

--Tori Lee Wesley, 47, La. 308, Napoleonville, was arrested Sunday on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of cruelty to juveniles, resisting an officer, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic abuse battery and violation of a protective order, and as a fugitive from Rapides Parish on charges of home invasion, resisting arrest with force or violence, domestic abuse battery and traffic offenses.

--Amber Lynn Burgess, 31, La. 308, Napoleonville, was arrested Sunday on charges of cruelty to a juvenile (two counts), harboring a fugitive, turning movements and required signals, two counts of failure to use a child passengers restraint system, flight from an officer and driving on roadway laned for traffic.

The charges arise from an attempted traffic stop Sunday afternoon on La. 1 south of Napoleonville.

A uniformed patrol deputy assigned to the I.C.E. detail observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation and conducted a stop of that vehicle. The vehicle was registered to Wesley, whom the deputy knew was a fugitive.

The deputy recognized Wesley as the passenger. As the vehicle approached the end of the street they were on, the passenger, Wesley, fled on foot with the deputy in pursuit. Wesley was captured following a lengthy pursuit.

The driver of the suspect vehicle, now identified as Burgess, was arrested by assisting deputies. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, deputies seized one large-caliber firearm.

Wesley was a convicted felon and could not legally possess a firearm. The recovered firearm had been reported stolen to the Alexandria Police Department.

It was further determined that Wesley had previously been convicted of domestic-related charges and was under a permanent protection order that also prohibited him from possessing a firearm. There were two juveniles in the vehicle at the time of Sunday’s incident.

At the conclusion of the investigation, Wesley and Burgess were incarcerated pending bond hearings.