Councilman Bennett arrested again

St. Mary Parish Councilman James Bennett of Morgan City has been arrested for the second time in a week and the fourth time in less than a year.

Bennett, 51, was arrested by Morgan City police Saturday on a Berwick warrant alleging violation of a protective order. Two of the previous arrests were on stalking charges.

Berwick Chief David S. Leonard said in a news release that Bennett was served May 2 with a protective order from the 16th Judicial District Court forbidding Bennett from being within 100 yards of the petitioner. Berwick police received a report and confirmed that Bennett was in the prohibited area, Leonard said.

"Investigators were able to obtain clear video evidence that placed Bennett within the prohibited area of the victim's residence on more than one occasion," the press release said

Bennett represents Parish Council District 7. He was out on $3,500 bond after Monday's arrest followed a search of his Sixth Street home and his car. In addition to the stalking charge, he was booked on counts of possessing anabolic steroids and possession of a weapon in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance.

Louisiana State Police detectives based in Houma conducted the search and made the arrest. They had been asked for help by Berwick police because they believed the acts of which Bennett is accused also occurred outside Berwick. Bennett was released on bond later Monday.

Berwick police arrested Bennett on Feb. 6 on a warrant resulting from a complaint that Bennett had stalked a Berwick woman.

Police said Bennett “used resources to gain knowledge of who was visiting with the victim and later confront the victim.”

The warrant stems from an investigation that began Feb. 1 in which a complaint was received concerning him stalking a woman who lives in the Berwick area. Police learned that Bennett was in fact responsible for the behavior associated with stalking, Leonard said.

Bennett was booked into the Berwick jail and later released on $20,000 bail. He was later transported to the Morgan City jail due to active warrants that Morgan City Police Department held for his arrest associated with this investigation.

Berwick police confirmed that Bennett’s February arrest was related to another arrest July 31. Bennett was arrested on a charge of remaining after being forbidden. Police said Bennett had returned to a Berwick home after being told not to go there.

After that arrest, Bennett characterized the incident as “a big misunderstanding.”