CRIME BLOTTER: Reported offenses in the Tri-parish area

Man found with fake money

A 45-year-old Galliano man is in custody after Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies claim to have found the suspect in possession of counterfeit bills.

Terry Guidry, of 115 West 218th St., was arrested after deputies stopped to assist Guidry’s driver whose vehicle was broken on April 2.

Shortly before 2 p.m. on that day, deputies arrived at a gas station in Bayou Blue to assist a female motorist whose vehicle was disabled. Lafourche Drug Task Force Agents in the area stopped to assist and were able to identify the woman’s passenger as Guidry. Upon agents’ arrival, authorities claim that Guidry appeared to be very nervous and agents conducted a pat-down search of Guidry for officer safety. During that search, authorities said they discovered a bag containing suspected crack cocaine, which later yielded a positive result during a presumptive field test.

Several bags in the trunk of the car belonged to Guidry, according to authorities and inside the bag were counterfeit bills in multiple denominations from $5 to $100.

Authorities said that Guidry was also found to be in possession of a laptop, printer, paper cutter and other common items typically used to manufacture counterfeit bills. In total, authorities said they recovered $3,345 in fake bills and $66,395 in counterfeit bills yet to be completed.

Guidry was arrested and booked in the Lafourche Parish Detention Center on charges of monetary instrument abuse, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is currently being held in lieu of a $31,000 bond as set by Judge Jerome J. Barbera III.

Authorities said that Guidry has 20 prior arrests, mostly for similar charges in Lafourche, Terrebonne and St. Charles parishes.

Suspect sought in kidnapping attempt

The Houma Police Department wants the public’s help in nabbing a suspect involved in an alleged kidnapping attempt last week in city limits.

On April 3 during evening hours, HPD said officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Central Avenue in reference to a suspicious vehicle in the location.

Upon arrival, officers said they learned that a white male suspect operating a newer modeled Dodge Ram truck with California tags pulled into a driveway, exited his vehicle and chased after an 11-year-old female victim.

The young girl was able to elude the suspect by entering her residence and locking the front door. The suspect then left the scene.

Authorities said the man is around 6-feet tall and is 40-50 years old. He is described as having a bald head, goatee and skinny, slender build. He was wearing a black, short-sleeved polo shirt and grey khaki pants with black leather pointed shoes, according to authorities. The man also had a feather tattoo on the top of his left hand, according to police.

Officers patrolled the area on foot and could not locate the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call the Houma Police Department at (985) 873-6371.

Suspect convicted in 2012 rape, robbery

An 18-year-old Raceland man was convicted by a jury of his peers this week of committing aggravated rape and armed robbery.

Jerry Cleveland, 18, was accused of participating in the home invasion and rape of a woman in her home on St. Louis Street in Raceland in 2012. Three suspects broke into the woman’s home and committed the crime while the woman was home alone with her 3-year-old child. The victim told authorities that one of the suspects was armed with a pistol and two had worn masks during the crime.

Cleveland was not masked and the victim identified him from photographs. The victim said all three men participated in the rape and robbery.

Cleveland was found guilty after a three-day jury trial. The two other suspects both pled guilty before trial and have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences.

Lafourche Parish District Attorney Cam A. Morvant said his office will push for Cleveland to spend life in prison for his crime.

“This conviction closes the book on an outrageous crime, and I can think of no more fitting punishment for this perpetrator than to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Morvant said. “While this was a horrendous ordeal for the victim and her son, she has been very brave throughout these proceedings and was instrumental in bringing all three perpetrators to justice.”

Cleveland will be sentenced on April 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Aggravated rape carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Armed robbery is punishable by up to 99 years in prison.

1 arrested, another sought in shooting

A Houma man has been arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder for his alleged role in a shooting last week.

TPSO detectives said were called to a Houma home last Wednesday in regards to a home invasion and attempted murder. The alleged home invasion took place at Thomas Drive in east Houma. According to authorities, a man was shot in the raid and is listed in critical condition at press time.

Through investigation, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to identify information about a suspect, which led to a search warrant taking place Friday morning at a residence on Square Wolfe Lane in west Houma.

While there, authorities questioned Joseph Hayes, 22, of 135 Square Wolfe Lane. During questioning, Wolfe provided information that connected him to the shooting, according to authorities.

He was arrested for one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of home invasion.

Through investigation, authorities have identified a second suspect in the case. He is identified as John Ross Harold, 30, of Houma. Harold also has outstanding warrants in Mississippi for multiple counts of burglary and weapons violations.

Harold is described as a black male that is about 6-foot tall. He is listed as having a medium build.

Authorities said Harold should be considered armed and dangerous. If anyone has information about his whereabouts, they are asked to contact the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Suspects charged in simple burglary

A Houma man told the Houma Police that his feet stunk.

Officers didn’t buy it.

As a result, he and another man are in custody after they allegedly burglarized the coin machines at a local car wash.

Houma Police authorities said they were called on March 31 at 10:24 p.m. to 122 South Van Avenue in reference to the burglary.

Once on the scene, officers located two suspects, identifying them as Dartanian James Labouve, 19, of Pitre Street and Terry Peter Authement, 31, of Pitre Street.

Officers found the suspects to be in possession of a backpack, flashlight, socks, hacksaw cutters and pliers.

When questioned about the tools, the men said they were bringing them to family members who lived up the street. Labouve said the socks were because his feet stunk.

Labouve and Authement face attempted burglary, illegal carrying of burglary tools and criminal damage to coin-operated devices charges.