Category: Uncategorized

Eighteenth Judicial District Judge Kevin Kimball sentenced a Pointe Coupee drug dealer to a whopping total of 230 years in prison on Wednesday.

Elie T. Edwards, 46, of 12191 Boudreaux St., New Roads, was found guilty on February 27 of running a large drug operation in the parish, including distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana, among other charges. Drugs confiscated in the 2022 bust had a street value of over $600,000.

He was sentenced to 40 years for distribution of heroin and 40 years for fentanyl,  and 20 years each for the following convictions: possession of a firearm by a felon, distribution of marijauana,  distribution of methamphetamines, and distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced to a total of 70 years on the following: conspiracy to distribute marijauana; conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; conspiracy to distribute heroin; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamines; and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

The case was the result of a seven month multi-agency undercover investigation led by Louisiana State Police and the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics divisions in 2022. Over the course of the investigation, agents conducted numerous purchases of drugs from Edwards at various locations. They also conducted surveillance and identified others who were assisting Edwards with the transportation, storage, sale and purchase of large quantities of illegal narcotics.

He was arrested on August 4, 2022 when law enforcement agents conducted multiple search warrants for his residence and other locations, where they found the stolen gun and other guns, along with large quantities of narcotics. They confiscated 18.6 pounds of heroin, 1.2 pounds of cocaine, 1.2 pounds of methamphetamines, 1.2 pounds of fentanyl including fentanyl laced synthetic marijuana, and 4.4 pounds of marijuana. A total of 13 arrests were made at the time of the searches, and several defendants charged with working within the drug ring testified against Edwards during the trial. Edwards is the first to be tried in the case.

District Attorney Tony Clayton said, “If you sell drugs in our communities, you will forfeit your right to walk free with the rest of us. Edwards will spend the rest of his life at hard labor in prison.”

Leading the prosecution for the DA’s Office was Chief of Trials Chad Aguillard and Assistant District Attorneys Lonny Guidroz, Ali Meronek, Kristen Canazaro and Nishant Bhushan.

A West Baton Rouge Parish Jury has found Jarrettin R. Jackson, II guilty of manslaughter in a shooting at a Port Allen High School football game on September 1, 2023, during halftime. He fired numerous shots from an automatic weapon, killing Ja’Kobe Queen with two gunshot wounds to his head and neck.

Jackson, 19, of 1033 Morning Glory, Port Allen, was also found guilty of aggravated battery of Brasia Davis, who sustained a gunshot wound to her right arm in the shooting. Other guilty verdicts against Jackson included possession of a machine gun, carrying a firearm on school property, and obstruction of justice.

The shooting occurred during halftime of the Port Allen vs. Brusly High School football game. Video recorded by local media during their coverage of the game provided vital evidence utilized by West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s detectives in identifying Jackson as the shooter.  The cameras spanning the area recorded the shooting, the deceased lying on the sidewalk and spectators fleeing the area.

Jackson is seen on camera in the area of the shooting minutes before the shots were fired and again running from behind a parked vehicle moments after. The firearm utilized in the shooting was located by the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s under the vehicle where Jackson was seen crouched and running from shortly after the shooting and just before he fled the area. Jackson later used another spectator’s phone to call his uncle and grandmother, requesting they come to the school to pick him up.

Cellphone video by an anonymous witness that was provided to law enforcement captures the moment Jackson fired the shots killing Ja’Kobe Queen. Jackson was further identified as the shooter through this evidence by law enforcement, and his identity was confirmed by a Port Allen High School student who witnessed the incident.

The eyewitness indicated a fight broke out between two individuals, Zakiylan Williams and Jaylin Smith. As a couple punches were thrown, Jackson, who was at the game with Smith and was wearing a bandage on his left hand, retrieved a firearm, took a shooters stance and fired the automatic weapon killing Ja’kobe Queen and injuring Ms. Davis.

It was later confirmed Jackson had a broken left hand and had surgery earlier that day. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab confirmed through forensic testing that the firearm, magazine and cartridges all contained Jackson’s DNA. Through microscopic comparisons and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, the firearm was also linked to two earlier shootings in Baton Rouge.

“This was a horrifying, unnecessary killing of a young man, and wounding of an innocent bystander. The fact that it was in a crowd at a high school football game makes it even more appalling.” said District Attorney Tony Clayton. “We have a message for these wanna be gang members: We will track you down, we will prosecute and we will pursue the harshest sentence allowed.  We will not tolerate this in our communities.”

“I commend the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office on its excellent investigation into this case, and our Assistant District Attorneys Chad Aguillard, Lonny Guidroz, Kristen Canezaro, and Ali Meronek for presenting a strong case to the jury,” DA Clayton added.

District Judge Tonya Lurry, who presided over the case, has set sentencing for August 6.

Jordan St. Clair Clark was found guilty on Wednesday of attempted second degree murder in a 2021 shooting in St. Gabriel. 18^th Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Battiste issued the verdict after the one-day judge trial.

Clark fired 10 shots at a 17-year-old girl at St. Gabriel Park on March 13, 2021. She was hit in the right side of the chest and the bullet exited her back. She was attending a birthday party for her boyfriend the night of the party in St. Gabriel near the shooting. After the shooting she was hospitalized for almost two weeks.

The victim identified Clark as the shooter and also picked him from a photo line-up. Bullet casings at the scene were all from the same firearm, but the weapon was never found. The victim told investigators that she thinks the bullets were meant for another person near her at the time of the shooting. Clark turned himself in to authorities on April 7, 2021.

Clark, 28, of 4925 Landry St., St. Gabriel, was found guilty of one count of attempted second degree murder and one count of illegal discharge of a firearm – crime of violence. Sentencing was set for May 7 by Judge Battiste. The sentence for attempted second degree attempted murder is up to 50 years in prison.

District Attorney Tony Clayton commended the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office and St. Gabriel Police Department for their investigation of the case, which helped result in a quick trial and ruling by Judge Battiste. The  case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ali Meronek, Trent Shows, Nedi Morgan and Edward “Lucky” Songy. 

“We have said many times that violence will not be tolerated in our community,” DA Clayton said. “This shooting impacted numerous families, and this 17-year-old, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, will have to live with the horror, physical pain and scars of that shooting for the rest of her life. I’ll say it again – put the guns down. They ruin too many lives.”

A Pointe Coupee Parish jury on Thursday (Feb. 27) found Elie T. Edwards guilty of running a large drug operation in the parish, including distributing heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana, among other charges. Drugs confiscated in the 2022 bust had a street value of over $600,000.

The trial was the end result of a seven month multi-agency undercover investigation led by Louisiana State Police and the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics divisions in 2022. Over the course of the investigation, agents conducted numerous purchases of drugs from Edwards at various locations. They also conducted surveillance and identified others who were assisting Edwards with the transportation, storage, sale and purchase of large quantities of illegal narcotics.

The trial of Edwards, 46, of 12191 Boudreaux St., New Roads, began on Monday (Feb. 24) before District Judge Kevin Kimball. The jury deliberated only 43 minutes before rendering the guilty verdicts on all counts.

He was arrested on August 4, 2022 when law enforcement agents conducted multiple search warrants for his residence and other locations, where they found the stolen gun and other guns, along with large quantities of narcotics. They confiscated 18.6 pounds of heroin, 1.2 pounds of cocaine, 1.2 pounds of methamphetamines, 1.2 pounds of fentanyl including fentanyl laced synthetic marijuana, and 4.4 pounds of marijuana. A total of 13 arrests were made at the time of the searches, and several defendants charged with working within the drug ring testified against Edwards during the trial. Edwards is the first to be tried in the case.

Edwards was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute and one count of conspiracy to distribute each of the following drugs: fentanyl, methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana and heroin; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The convictions hold prison sentences of up to 40 years for each of the fentanyl and heroin counts, and up to 20 years on the gun count.

District Attorney Tony Clayton said, “We will not tolerate drug operations in our parishes. We will aggressively prosecute them to the fullest extent possible. Now that we have these convictions, this drug dealer will spend the rest of his life in prison, and we will prosecute his associates also. Our citizens want safe and peaceful communities. I do too, and I can assure residents that the DA’s office will continue to make sure cases like this end very badly for the drug dealers.”

Leading the prosecution for the DA’s Office was Chief of Trials Chad Aguillard and Assistant District Attorneys Lonny Guidroz, Ali Meronek, Kristen Canazaro and Nishant Bhushan.

District Attorney Clayton thanked the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office, La. State Police and the other agencies involved for the thoroughness and bravery during the investigation, noting that “they provided us with the evidence necessary to present a strong case to the jury.”

Sentencing has been set for April 9^th by Judge Battiste.

Robert McCormick and his brother, Thomas McCormick, were found guilty on money laundering, malfeasance in office, theft and other charges by 18^th Judicial District Court Judge Alvin Battiste in 18^th Judicial District Court in Port Allen on December 12.

Robert McCormick, 50, of 22090 Talbot Dr., Plaquemine was found guilty of 172 counts; and his brother, Thomas McCormick, 50, of 58180 Randolphs Dr., Plaquemine, was found guilty of 166 counts.

They were both found guilty of the following: 1 count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 35 counts of money laundering, 6 counts of conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, 39 counts of conspiracy to commit filing of false public documents, 39 counts of filing false public documents, 17 counts of conspiracy to commit theft, 17 counts of felony theft, 6 counts of conspiracy to commit prohibited splitting of profits, and 6 counts of prohibited splitting of profits. In addition, Robert McCormick was also found guilty of 6 counts of malfeasance in office.

During the trial, District Attorney Tony Clayton’s prosecution team laid out a sophisticated money laundering scheme planned and carried out by the brothers to purchase emergency supplies at a lower price through three companies, Westside Services, Emergency Logistics Solutions and Gifts Unlimited.  The companies were used by the brothers to disguise the fact that they were benefiting from the profit captured by the companies. 

The companies, through, or at the direction of, Thomas McCormick, McCormick Law Firm, would then invoice the State Fire Marshal’s Office at highly inflated rates.  The entire scheme was accomplished by using the public employment position of Robert McCormick, as the Emergency Management and Procurement Officer, who was able to steer the business to these companies so that he and his brother could personally benefit. 

The scheme went on for an approximate 8 month period of time from August 2020 through April 2021, during the hurricane and winter storm season. The companies diverted funds totaling approximately $846,000, of which $397,000 was laundered to the McCormick Law Firm, owned by Thomas McCormick, disguised as “legal or attorney fees” that were never performed.  Once the money reached the McCormick Law Firm it was then funneled out to pay personal bills and expenses of both Robert and Thomas McCormick.  Neither of the brothers were allowed by State Criminal or Ethics law to profit by doing business with the state.

“No one is above the law,” said District Attorney Tony Clayton. “This was a case of using a position in state government to scam the state out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and pocketing the money. I have said we will prosecute violent crime aggressively. We will do the same with cases such as this, where our tax money was illegally obtained.”

“We would like to thank the State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, the Louisiana Legislative Officer’s office, and in particular, Mike Waguespack and Thomas Horne, and the West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office, for all of their determination, including thousands of man hours, and hard work in helping us ferret out public corruption in this case,” said DA Clayton.

Judge Battiste has set sentencing for January 8.

Former Addis Police Officer David Cauthron, 42, plead guilty to two counts of manslaughter and one count of negligent injury today in the case of him speeding through a red light in pursuit of a suspect, and crashing into a vehicle with three teens on December 31, 2022.

Maggie Dunn, 17, an 11^th grader; and Caroline Gill, 16, a 10^th grader, both died in the collision. Maggie’s brother, Liam Dunn, was still in critical condition from the collision at La. Hwy. 1 near N. Vaughn Drive in Brusly. Liam is now recovering.

Cauthron was booked by the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and a grand jury later indicted him on 2 counts of manslaughter and 1 count of negligent injury. He plead guilty to those charges today. He was sentenced to 32 years in DOC, suspended to 10 years on the 2 manslaughter charges, and 6 months in parish prison on the negligent injury charge, with the parish prison term to run concurrent. He must report to jail on May 23, 2024.

The pursuit of the suspect, Tyquel Zanders, 24, began in Baton Rouge, where he’s accused of stealing his father’s vehicle. Zanders crossed the Mississippi River Bridge, where West Baton Rouge law enforcement began the chase. He continued fleeing, going back over the bridge and eventually was arrested when his car stalled. He was charged in West Baton Rouge with two counts of manslaughter.

“We hope this guilty plea brings some relief to those families and the West Baton Rouge community from this tragedy,” said 18^th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton. “As I have said before, sirens and police vehicles do not give an officer the authority to cut through a red light. They must slow down or come to a complete stop when human life is in danger. In this case, Cauthron was grossly negligent, and the lives of these young people would not have been taken had he exercised common sense. His actions ended the lives of young people with a promising future ahead of them. It’s very sad.”

TOOK ONLY 8 MINUTES TO REACH VERDICTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 15, 2024

JURY CONVICTS ST. GABRIEL MAN OF NUMEROUS PORNOGRAPHY COUNTS,

TOOK ONLY 8 MINUTES TO REACH VERDICTS

It took an Iberville Parish jury only 8 minutes on Thursday (March 14) to find a St. Gabriel man guilty of 15 counts of the production of pornography involving children under the age of 13, and five counts of possession of pornography of children under the age of 13.

Thomas Bourque, 72, of 7825 Hwy. 74, St. Gabriel, was prosecuted by 18^th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton’s staff, including lead prosecutor Ali Meronek with Assistant DA’s Brillant Clayton, Tim Collins and Trent Shows.

 Clayton said, “This was a disgusting case of abuse of young children. We were very aggressive in our prosecution, and as a result, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

The Assistant DA’s presented testimony that one of the victims, who was age 5 at the time of the incident, told her father that Bourque touched her and took a photo of her genitals. That complaint spurred the investigation, which uncovered pornography of two other young children on two different cellular devices belonging to the defendant. The pornography involved taking pictures of the victims’ genitals.  

“The three minor children testified at trial, which showed exceptional bravery in facing the defendant in court,” said District Attorney Tony Clayton. “They are commended for making sure this never happens to another child at the hands of this man again.”

The trial was held before Judge Alvin Battiste, who set sentencing for April 4, 2024. The convictions carry a minimum 25 year to 99 year prison sentence on each count. The trial began Monday afternoon (March 11), and ended on Thursday, March 14.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2-8-2024

In a rare criminal court case, five alleged gang members allegedly involved in murder were tried together and found guilty in 18^th Judicial District Court in Pointe Coupee Parish tonight (Feb. 8).

They are members of the Young and Wreckless gang who were involved in the January 21, 2021 murder of Eugene Jarreau, III of New Roads. District Attorney Tony Clayton made the decision to try the gang members together. This is the first time that five defendants have been tried together in this parish.  However, because all five defendants acted in concert, Clayton felt it was necessary to show the entire events that transpired in the horrific murder of Eugene Jarreau in his own home by this very dangerous criminal street gang.

“We are sending the message that if you are involved in gang activity, even if you are not the shooter, you will be prosecuted. We are coming after you and we will prosecute to the fullest extent possible,” he said.

The five who were tried and their convictions are:

Tyzontae J. Davis, 24, of 303 Joyce St., New Roads, second degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon;

Tyler T. Breaux, 21, of 8636 St. Joseph St., New Roads, second degree murder;

Nicholas C. Johnson, 22, of 6106 Prescott Rd., Baton Rouge, second degree murder;

Dequan D. Johnson, 24, of 1316 Ann St., New Roads, second degree murder; and

Marlon D. Jones, III, 25, of 1505 Pennsylvania St., New Roads, second degree murder. Dequan Johnson elected to have a judge trial while the other 4 were tried by jury.

Dequan Johnson, aka Quarter Baby, is the leader of the Young and Wreckless gang. They shot Jarreau at his home at 1418 Pennsylvania St., New Roads. Johnson, leader of the gang, orchestrated the murder of Jarreau. The evidence at trial showed that other gang members, Tyzontae Davis aka Sweet/ Vontae, Tyler Breaux aka Fooley/ Fooleo, Nicholas Johnson aka “Nick”, and Marlon Jones,III aka Fume” approached the victim’s house around 10:50 pm on the night of the ambush armed with an AR rifle and 3 different 9 mm pistols.

Johnson (Quarter Baby) aided by Marlon Jones, III, elicited the help of Tyrese Bennett by telling him to knock on the door of the victim’s residence that night. Bennett testified that he did as instructed by Quarterbaby and Fume. Once the victim opened the door the evidence showed that the YNW gang members approached armed with the 4 weapons and annihilated the victim to death by shooting him 21 times.

Evidence at the trial established that the motive for the murder was that the victim dared to disrespect gang members Tyzontae Davis and Nicholas Johnson earlier the day of the murder. Furthermore, the sister of Marlon Jones, III overdosed on pills earlier that night that she had obtained from the victim, and almost died.  

The evidence presented at trial also consisted of many Instagram records, phone records and jailhouse calls involving all defendants, which showed their knowledge of the crimes and attempts to cover up the crimes by the gang members.

A gang expert witness identified each individual defendant as members of the YNW gang in New Roads. They were identified through joint efforts of law enforcement in Pointe Coupee Parish, State Police and members of the community, as well as open source documents such as  rap music videos, tattoos, clothing, rap sheets and Instagram records.

The expert witness further testified as to the system, motive, plan, preparation, identity and knowledge of the various defendants involved by showing the general operations and lingo of the various defendants.

He further testified about evidence from other crimes committed by members of the YNW gang involving weapons used in multiple murders, other crimes and in this crime that matched each other.  The testimony of the eyewitness, Tyrese Bennett, who personally knew all five defendants, was corroborated by phone and ankle monitor records of the defendants, Marlon  “Fume” Jones III, and Dequan (Quarter Baby) Johnson.  

Bennett identified all five defendants as being involved in the plot to murder and rob Eugene Jarreau.  

Jury selection began on Thursday, January 18 and the trial continued through February 8. It was tried before 18^th Judicial District Judge Kevin Kimball. Dequan Johnson elected to have a judge trial, which was held simultaneously with the jury trial, while the other 4 were tried by jury.  The jury reached the verdicts after just one hour and 8 minutes of deliberation. Judge Kimball also found Johnson guilty in the judge trial.

Sentencing has been set for all five convicted felons for April 10.

“To all the gangs out there – conduct yourself accordingly! We are watching you!” said DA Tony Clayton.

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Cassanova Carter was convicted on one count of attempted second degree murder of his uncle, Quincy Reed, by a Pointe Coupee Parish jury in 18^th Judicial District Court today (Wednesday, July 12). He was also convicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.    

The jury returned the unanimous verdict after less than an hour of deliberation. Carter, 33, of 619 Martin Dr., New Roads, shot his uncle six times at his uncle’s home on April 4, 2021, and then fled the scene.  

The victim identified Carter as the shooter to first responders and to law enforcement just prior to being airlifted to Our Lady of Lake Hospital, where he remained for 10 days following the shooting. Carter was arrested three days after the shooting by the New Roads Police Department.  

The 3 day trial was prosecuted by District Attorney’s Office Chief of Trials Chad Aguillard, and Assistant District Attorneys Kristen Canazaro and Ali Meronek. District Judge Kevin Kimball presided over the trial. Carter was immediately remanded to the Pointe Coupee Parish detention center and sentencing was set for August 16, 2023. He had previously been convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  

Aguillard said, “I am mindful of the difficulty this day brings to the entire Reed family as the victim and defendant were related in this case. However, the District Attorney’s office will not tolerate this type of violent behavior. The swiftness of the 52-minute verdict sends a clear message that the citizens of Pointe Coupee Parish also will not stand for this type of violence in their community.”  

In the last 2 and a half years, the District Attorney’s Office has successfully prosecuted 32 jury trials. In addition, trials and guilty pleas during that time period have resulted in 20 murder convictions, including 19 life sentences!  

“I have said from day one that we would go after violent criminals with the full force of our office, and would not back down from trying cases in court,” said District Attorney Tony Clayton. “The residents of our communities do not want violent offenders on the streets, and we will continue to prosecute them aggressively.”   “We all want to live in safe communities, and we are working hard in the District Attorney’s Office to lock these violent criminals away for as long as possible,” Clayton said. “I ask for the continued support of law enforcement, our parishes, and the residents to continue this fight.”

An 18^th Judicial District Court jury deliberated only 8 minutes before finding a White Castle man guilty of first degree rape this evening (June 21).

Patrick Callegan, 59, of 37325 Lonestar Road, White Castle, was arrested for the rape of a 6-year-old girl on June 17, 2017. At the time, Callegan lived near where the child was living. Callegan initially admitted to certain aspects of the crime after having being identified by the child as the perpetrator of the offense to law enforcement and to medical personnel.

Callegan initially pleaded guilty to second degree rape, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and has been in jail since his arrest. However, a law change last year allowed him to change his plea to not guilty. From that point, District Attorney Tony Clayton and his team have vigorously pursued a tougher charge of first degree rape, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

The three-day trial began on Monday. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorney Chris Edwards, who credited the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office with doing excellent police work and providing the DA’s Office with extensive evidence.

“We called law enforcement as witnesses, and the victim was brave enough to testify in the trial,” said Assistant DA Edwards. “This very quick verdict was the result of a team effort and a very courageous little girl, who wanted to make sure Callegan never harms another person. Hopefully her courage will help other sexual crime victims come forward to law enforcement.”

“It was a very emotional trial, and very difficult on everyone, including the jury,” Edwards said. “We thank them for their service in this terrible crime against a child.”

District Attorney Tony Clayton said, “After the law changed where unanimous guilty verdicts are now required, it opened the door for those convicted to change their plea. I am telling these criminals that if they change their plea we are coming at them full force with the toughest charges possible, especially in cases like this. If they are going to put these victims through the torment of a trial, we are going after them and they will suffer the consequences. In this case, Callegan went from 30 years in prison to dying in prison.”

18^th Judicial District Court Judge Elizabeth Engolio presided over the trial. She set sentencing for  July 31, 2023.