Crime Blotter: Reported offenses in the Tri-parishes

Houma mom arrested for DWI and child endangerment

A Houma mother is in legal trouble after she allegedly drove intoxicated while having an 2-month-old child in her car.

Houma Police Department authorities say that an officer on patrol was nearly struck Friday night at 9:26 p.m. by a Honda Civic.

After the near-miss, officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Main and East streets.

During that stop, the driver was identified as Mendy L. Tregle, 23, of Acklen Street, Houma.

Upon contact with the woman, officers noticed her balance was unsteady and she appeared intoxicated.

Police say Tregle admitted that she smoked marijuana earlier in the day.

After a field sobriety test, the suspect was arrested and charged with DWI, DWI/child endangerment and careless operation of a motor vehicle.

Galliano man in custody for slew of overnight burglaries

A Galliano man is behind bars after Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office authorities say he burglarized more than 30 vehicles, three sheds and one residence in Cut Off.

Chad Anthony Breaux, 26, of 352 East 75th St., Galliano, is charged with 35 counts of simple burglary and one count of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling – all felonies.

The charges come after LPSO authorities say Breaux went on a robbery spree along West 47th and West 54th Streets in Cut Off.

Prior to Breaux’s arrest, LPSO spokesman Brennan Matherne said authorities responded to several reports of a burglary in the Cut Off area.

Shortly after 4:15 a.m., authorities responded to the Cut Off McDonalds in reference to a car blocking the drive-through lane.

Upon arrival, Matherne said deputies observed the driver of the car slumped over with the vehicle still in drive. The car was halted because the driver’s foot was on the brake.

After deputies turned off the vehicle, they observed a large amount of items inside the vehicle – many items that had been reported stolen hours before.

The driver was identified as Breaux and he was taken into custody for the above-mentioned crimes.

Detectives are continuing their investigation and are encouraging residents to check their sheds and cars.

Among the items found on Breaux are cell phones, cameras, laptops and GPS navigation systems.

Matherne said the suspect has had 16 prison stays and 11 prior arrests for charges ranging from thefts to DWI and drug possession and battery of a police officer.

“Through cooperation with the public, we were able to identify the larger number of crimes this criminal was responsible for, and we were able to return most of the stolen property already,” Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said. “This man is a repeat offender who has been in trouble in the law since becoming an adult, and he finds himself in jail once again.”

Houma man charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile

An 18-year-old is in custody after Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators say he had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

Authorities say TPSO deputies were called on July 31 by the family of a 13-year-old child. When on the scene, the child’s mother reported that the juvenile was having a sexual relationship with Janson Lowery, 18, of 225 St. Paul St., Houma.

After investigating, authorities say the girl admitted to having consensual sexual intercourse with Lowery twice in late June.

Lowery was picked up by TPSO deputies last Monday. Authorities say he admitted to engaging in the relationship.

He is charged with one count of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

Thibodaux Police looking for vehicle burglar

The Thibodaux Police Department is looking for a 54-year-old that they believe broke into a vehicle within town limits.

TPD spokesman Det. David Melancon said Scott “Scottie” Brown, 54, of 121 Park Ave., Thibodaux, is sought by authorities after he allegedly broke into one car and attempted to break into another in early August.

Melancon said Brown has an extensive criminal history that dates back all the way to 1976.

Anyone with knowledge of Brown’s whereabouts is asked to contact the TPD at (985) 448-5846.

Vehicle pursuit lands one in jail

A 52-year-old Houma man is in custody of the Thibodaux Police Department after authorities claim he stole hundreds of dollars worth of goods and led police on a high-speed chase.

TPD spokesman Det. David Melancon said officers spotted a white 1993 Oldsmobile driven by Claude Galmore, 52, of 121 Crozier Drive, Houma, on St. Patrick Street in Thibodaux.

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop after Galmore nearly hit a vehicle he was passing.

Melancon said the driver refused to stop and multi-agency vehicle pursued Galmore in a chase that exceeded 106 mph.

Police say the chase led all the way to Chackbay where Galmore rammed into a cop car and continued forward.

He was eventually taken into custody after crashing through someone’s backyard.

Upon investigation, police learned Galmore had $800 of stolen merchandise from Walmart.

Melancon said Galmore has a criminal history dating back to 1980.

He is charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle, aggravated flight of an officer, felony theft of goods, remaining after being forbidden and driving under suspension.

He is held in lieu of a $185,800 bond.

Thibodaux police looking

for alleged killer

Thibodaux police are seeking Jocobe Henderson, a 21-year-old Thibodaux man who allegedly killed a Thibodaux man early Saturday morning.

Henderson, of 811 Church St., Thibodaux, faces a $1 million bond and charges of second-degree murder. He is the chief suspect in the homicide of Douglass Turner, 26.

Anyone with information about Henderson is asked to contact the Thibodaux Police Department (985) 448-5846.

Narcotics agents recover nearly $500,000 in drugs, cash

A 58-year-old Houma man was arrested after narcotics agents raided an apparent marijuana grow house on Cenac Street and seized marijuana and cash with combined values approaching $500,000, Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said.

Gerard Desoto, of 306 Cenac St., Houma, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm with a controlled dangerous substance and illegal proceeds from drug transactions.

Agents representing the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police and the Louisiana Air National Guard obtained a search warrant on Desoto’s home at the conclusion of a four-month investigation.

They recovered 20 marijuana plants valued at $30,000; four bundles of marijuana weighing about 83 pounds with a street value of $116,480; nearly 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana with a street value of $223,000; 120 grams of hydroponic bauds with a street value of $120,000 and $9,365 in cash, Larpenter said.

Lafourche catches 18-year-old alleged vehicle thief

An anonymous tip to Bayou Regions Crime Stoppers helped conclude a six-month investigation into a string of motor vehicle thefts and vehicle burglaries in south Lafourche.

Steven R. Thomas, 18, of 353 E. 40th St., Cut Off, faces $70,000 in bond, but he is also being held without bond on behalf of Probation and Parole, according to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Thomas is charged with three counts of motor vehicle theft, three counts of simple burglary and attempted burglary of an inhabited dwelling. He is being investigated in reference to several other Cut Off burglaries, LPSO spokesman Brennan Matherne said.

The tip came after Thomas was arrested in St. Martin Parish on July 18 for possession of a stolen vehicle. At that time, Thomas was on probation for three counts of auto theft and two counts of simple burglary in unrelated cases, Matherne said.

Thomas was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center, where detectives questioned him. Thomas admitted to several crimes that had taken place in south Lafourche.

On July 8, authorities in Orange County, Texas, attempted to stop Thomas while he was driving a truck stolen from E. 43rd Street in Cut Off. Thomas eluded officers when he parked the truck in a Vidor, Texas, yard and fled via foot. Two passengers stayed in the truck and identified Thomas as the driver.

Thomas is also charged with stealing a pickup truck from an E. 22nd Street residence. The truck was found Feb. 9, four days after the reported theft, two miles from Thomas’ listed address of 135 School Road, Vidor, Texas. On Feb. 15, a sport-utility vehicle reported stolen out of Vidor was found approximately one mile from Thomas’ Cut Off address.

Thomas is also alleged to have stolen two laptops from two vehicles on East Main Street in late June. He also allegedly tried and failed to enter an East Main Street home, then burglarized a vehicle at that residence.