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A traffic stop led to the arrest of a Morgan City woman who was in possession of heroin and a firearm, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith said in a news release.
—Jessica Brown Burgess, 38, of Bowman Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:57 a.m. Friday on charges of possession of heroin, possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance and driving under suspension. She was jailed with bail set at $11,500.
Smith also reported that the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s office responded to 135 complaints and reported the following arrests:
—Ashley Nichole Johnson, 21, of Lockett Road in Franklin, was arrested at 8:05 p.m. Friday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was jailed with no bail set.
—Robert Ray Broussard, 26, of Cemetery Highway in St. Martinville, was arrested at 5:18 a.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Broussard was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
—Stanley Gabriel Sr., 58, of Gabriel Lane in Jeanerette, was arrested at 8:19 a.m. Sunday on a charge of leash law. Gabriel was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
—George Curtis Williams III, 57, of Mechanic Street in Franklin, was arrested at 10:16 a.m. Sunday on charges of driving under suspension and attempted theft. Williams was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
—Kristen Elizabeth Bourque, 27, of Yellow Bayou Road in Centerville, was arrested at 2:11 p.m. Sunday on a charge of theft. She was jailed with no bail set.
—Tessa Michelle Pilgrim, 41, of Elaine Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:03 p.m. Sunday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of operating a vehicle while license is suspended/revoked/canceled, operating a motor vehicle not covered by security and improper display of license plate. She was jailed with no bail set.
—Pamela Mitchell, 62, of Isaac Street in Franklin, was arrested at 10:35 p.m. Sunday on charges of driving under suspension and improper lane usage. Mitchell was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
—Dylan Michael Boling, 23, of Hunting Road in Ricohoc, was arrested at 12:18 a.m. Monday on a charge of battery of a dating partner. He was jailed and released on a $5,000 bond.
—Diana R. Butler, 48, of Federal Circle in Thibodaux, was arrested at 12:36 p.m. Monday on charges of driving under suspension, turning movements and required signals. Butler was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
—Shelby J. Levergne, 24, of Leo Drive in Patterson, was arrested at 2:34 p.m. Monday on charges of driving under suspension, possession of marijuana and expired or no inspection sticker. Levergne was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of driving under suspension and improper driving left of center. Levergne was also arrested on a Plaquemines Parish warrant for failure to appear on the charges of operating a vehiclewhile license is suspended/revoked/cancled and operating a vehicle with obstructed windshield and/or window view. He was jailed with no bail set and is being held for another agency.
—Veronica Gonzalez-Jiminez, 37, of La. 182 in Morgan Cty, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of driving on right side of the road, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, operating a vehicle without proper required equipment and failure to honor written promise to appear. She was jailed and later released on a $360 bond.
—Roger Bernnorh Short Sr., 34, of Mary Street in Gibson, was arrested at 12:23 a.m. Tuesday on charges of driving under suspension and turning movements and required signals. Short was released on a summons to appear on May 18.
Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 37 calls of service and the following arrests were made:
—Rita Rochelle Noel, 38, of Halsey Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:37 a.m. Monday on a charge of telephone harassment. Officers came into contact with Noel on Seventh Street. A computer check revealed the Morgan City Police Department held an active warrant for her arrest. She was jailed.
—Nathan Griffin IV, 44, of Ena Street in Lafayette, was arrested at 8:41 a.m. Monday on charges of criminal damage to property under $1,000 and resisting an officer and on a warrant for failure to appear. Officers were called to a Seventh Street residence about a person wanting to pick up their belongings. Upon officer’s arrival, they came into contact with Griffin. Officers learned Griffin had damaged the front door of the residence before police arrived. A warrant check revealed City Court of Morgan City held an active warrant for his arrest. When officers attempted to place Griffin under arrest he fled on foot. Officers were able to detain and arrest him a block away from the scene. He was jailed.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported there were no arrests.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported there were no arrests.

Recently, Better Business Bureau asked consumers to watch out for Census Bureau scammers at their door, mailbox and email.
Now, BBB, the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Census Bureau are warning those individuals who are looking for employment to be on guard for census job scams.
According to a release from the FTC, they have partnered with the US Census Bureau to help job seekers know the recruiting and hiring process, to help you spot, avoid, and report scams.
The Census Bureau is recruiting to fill temporary positions across the country, but there are two key tips you should know:
—No Application Fees. Anyone asking for a fee to help you get a Census Bureau job is a scammer. Federal agencies never charge application fees.
—You can only apply online. The only way to apply for 2020 Census positions is through the Census Bureau’s website 2020census.gov/jobs. You will need provide the following information during the application process:
—Social Security number
—Home address (physical location and mailing address)
—Email address and phone number
—Date and place of birth
Verify that you are on the Census Bureau website before you give out your personal information.
The Census Bureau gives the following information if you have questions about 2020 Census Jobs or technical issues with your application:
Contact the Census Bureau’s Jobs Line at 1-855-JOB-2020 (1-855-562-2020).
—Select Option 1: For technical help with your job application or hiring documents.
—Select Option 3: To speak to a local Census Bureau representative.
BBB also shares these tips to help avoid employment scams:
—Some positions are more likely to be scams. Always be wary of work-from-home or secret shopper positions, or any job with a generic title such as caregiver, administrative assistant, or customer service rep.
Positions that don’t require special training or licensing appeal to a wide range of applicants. Scammers know this and use these otherwise legitimate titles in their fake ads. If the job posting is for a well-known brand/government agency, check the real company’s job page to see if the position is posted there. Look online; if the job comes up in other cities with the exact same post, it’s likely a scam.
—Different procedures should raise your suspicion. Watch out for on-the-spot job offers. You may be an excellent candidate for the job, but beware of offers made without an interview.
A real company will want to talk to a candidate before hiring. Don’t fall for an overpayment scam. No legitimate job would ever overpay an employee and ask for money to be wired elsewhere. This is a common trick used by scammers.
And be cautious sharing personal information or any kind of pre-payment. Be careful if a company promises you great opportunities or big income as long as you pay for coaching, training, certifications or directories.
—Government agencies post all jobs publicly and freely
. The U.S. and Canadian federal governments and the U.S. Postal Service/Canada Postal Service never charge for information about jobs or applications for jobs. Be wary of any offer to give you special access or guarantee you a job for a fee – if you are paying for the promise of a job, it’s probably a scam.
—Get all details and contracts in writing.
A legitimate recruiter will provide you with a complete contract for their services with cost, what you get, who pays (you or the employer), and what happens if you do not find a job.
If you suspect a Census job scam, report it to rumors@census.gov and to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report this scam to Better Business Bureau at bbb.org/scamtracker.
“Look for the Seal” and Start with Trust®. BBB Serving Acadiana is a private non-profit organization that strives for a trustworthy marketplace by maintaining standards for truthful advertising, investigating and exposing fraud against consumers and businesses.
Please contact Better Business Bureau at 337-981-3497 24 or bbb.org 24 hours a day for information on businesses throughout North America. Consumers can also sign up for our free BBB “Scoop” eNewsletter by visiting bbb.org and clicking on the “Programs & Services” tab.
BBB Serving Acadiana services the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Landry and Vermilion.

Groups calling for an overhaul of Louisiana’s legal system say “excessive” litigation costs subtract $1.9 billion from the state’s annual economic output, leading to the loss of 19,794 jobs and a per-person “tort tax” of $417.72.
Yearly tax dollar losses are estimated at $100.3 million for state government and $84 million for local governments.
The new report by Texas-based The Perryman Group used Ohio, which recently changed its civil legal system, as a benchmark. The consultants’ assessment is fodder for groups who believe Louisiana’s system is rigged to favor plaintiffs.
“These job-killing lawsuits hurt Louisiana families, and in addition, economic opportunities are driven away while resulting costs are passed down in the form of higher prices for goods and services,” said Lana Venable, executive director of Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch, which hosted a luncheon on the subject in Baton Rouge on Thursday.
Tort reform, broadly defined as making changes to the civil justice system to limit the ability to file lawsuits or restrict the amount of money a plaintiff can receive, will be a major theme of the Louisiana legislative session that starts March 9.
Generally speaking, proponents say Louisiana has too many frivolous lawsuits.
Tort reform skeptics say it’s the judges’ job to throw out meritless lawsuits, and say the proponents’ real goal is to limit citizens’ access to the courts to protect big businesses.
On Thursday, Sherman Joyce, president of the corporate-backed American Tort Reform Association, described Louisiana’s legal system as an “outlier.”
As an example, he pointed to the fact that a case has to be worth at least $50,000 to guarantee the right to a jury trial, by far the highest threshold in the nation.
Lowering or eliminating the threshold would make it harder for attorneys to “venue shop” for favorable judges and reduce the incentive for insurance companies to settle petty lawsuits, advocates say.
The idea was defeated last year, in part because judges and clerks of court worried that an excess of jury trials would clog up the legal system.
Joyce said Louisiana should make legal reform the “centerpiece” of its business recruitment efforts.
“I don’t think there is a silver bullet,” said state Sen. Barrow Peacock, who will chair one of the Senate’s judiciary committees. But he agreed tort reform should be a top priority, and said he would endeavor to move bills quickly during session while still ensuring healthy debate.
Louisiana was ranked 49th in the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s 2019 Lawsuit Abuse Survey, ahead of only Illinois. The state also is featured annually in the American Tort Reform Association’s Judicial Hellholes Report.

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder is quite the gearhead, having worked as a certified mechanic before managing and then eventually owning his own garage in Ascension Parish.
If you ask Schexnayder, a Republican, about it, he’ll likely start his story where most should — in the beginning.
“When I was 8 years old my dad bought a brand new Snapper riding lawnmower, really the first decent one in the neighborhood,” Schexnayder said last week during an interview from his Gonzales district office.
“He brung it home and told us not to touch it, so I went out there and tore the engine down. I wanted to see how it ran. Other than him scolding me and buying a gasket set to put it back together, that was it. I put it back together and we used it to cut grass for many years to come. That’s how it started. That’s how it all started.”
But being under the hood wasn’t good enough for Schexnayder.
He wanted to be behind the wheel as well and started racing IMCA/UMP modified cars on dirt tracks on a circuit that includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.
Schexnayder participated in 200 to 300 races between 1998 and 2013, developing a need (and “love”) for speed along the way.
Schexnayder, however, learned just how dangerous speed could be during one of his first races at a popular track in Mississippi’s Pike County.
“We were a little overconfident, you could say, and we were running in like a 30 car field that night and running top 10,” the speaker recalled. “If you know UMP modifieds, it’s an open wheel, like an Indy car, but it’s dirt. It’s very touch and go. You’re doing upwards to 100 miles per hour. I got bumped in the straightaway and the car went airborne. It tore down the catch fence along the grandstands and I landed in the grandstands about five rows up.”
The legislator-to-be, who said he witnessed it all in “slow motion,” wasn’t injured in the accident.
“When he hit me and the car went airborne, everything happened really slow,” he said. “I’m airborne watching everything play out and I’m just hoping people moved really quick, and, oh, they were moving fairly quick. By the time we hit the grandstands we were clear of everybody.”
In that situation, it could be argued that speed was a bad thing.
In Capitoland, however, a little momentum can go a long way — and over in the Senate there indeed seems to be a need for speed.
The regular session of the Louisiana Legislature set to convene in roughly three weeks, and within 14 days of that start lawmakers should be well into their first hearings on tort reform.
That was the roadmap offered up last week by state Sen. Barrow Peacock, a Shreveport Republican who addressed a mostly conservative audience assembled by the Louisiana Coalition for Common Sense and Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch.
If Peacock, a Senate judiciary chairman, sticks to his plan for bills that will be assigned to his committee, the timing of this centerpiece issue — tort reform, in some fashion — could influence the pacing of the entire regular session.
Since it’s the first session of a new term, that pacing along with its aftermath may color the next four years as well.
A rapid and deliberate pace could help lawmakers avoid last-minute dustups over the budget and capital construction bill, which have proved to be final-day thorns in recent sessions. Then again, progress can be just as infectious as panic in Capitoland, and a rushed approach could throw the entire session into the grandstands.
Whatever you do, don’t blink. While the budget might seem like a mess right now — there’s technically no executive proposal because a state board can’t agree on a revenue estimate — that uncertainty will not last.
Lawmakers will convene their regular session on March 9, and by early April a revenue prediction should adopted by the Revenue Estimating Conference.
(Keep your fingers crossed.) If that does come to fruition, the Legislature may find itself in a mad dash to finish the budget before the session adjourns on June 1.
As of Tuesday morning there were 89 bill filed in the House and 49 introduced in the Senate. That number is going to climb.
During the last regular session to kick off a term in 2016 lawmakers introduced 1,644 bills.
That’s all to say there will be plenty of distractions in the regular session, from overheated, time-consuming debates that yield no policies at all to a mountain of local bills that only matter to certain areas of the state.
Despite all of the drama and politics lawmakers are going to have to pick their lane. Whether they choose a session that moves at a super-charged pace or one at the speed of a snail, we’ll still have to witness it all the same.
Let’s just hope it doesn’t play out in slow motion.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter
@LaPoliticsNow.