Crime Reports

Double-cross leads to multiple drug charges against Houma man

A Houma man was arrested on drug charges after he crossed his dealer and fought off a subsequent attack Sunday afternoon, Houma Police said.

Michael Thompson Sr., 43, of 815 Linda Ann St., was charged with possession of crack cocaine, reckless operation of a vehicle, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of narcotics in the presence of a juvenile, child passenger restraint system and obstruction of justice, according to police.

With his three-year-old son in his truck, Thompson went to a residence on East Street to buy crack cocaine, police said. Thompson gave the drug dealer a fake $100 bill and attempted to drive off when the dealer jumped into the rear of the Houma man’s truck. Police said Thompson began driving recklessly in an attempt to make the dealer fall out of the back of the truck. In the process, he damaged two tires.

Officers found the truck on Grand Caillou Road near Allen Street. Inside the truck, they found the child n without a car seat, the crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia, the police reported.

The child was released to the custody of a family member.

Officers patrolled the area, but did not find the suspected drug dealer.

Alleged shooter turns self in to Houma PD

A Houma man armed with a loaded gun turned himself in to Houma Police early Saturday after reportedly firing the weapon in the city, police said.

While patrolling Barrow and Honduras streets at 1:05 a.m., officers encountered Corey Johnson, 36, of 416 Honduras St. The Houma man flagged down the officer and said, “Arrest me for shooting in the city.” When the officer asked Johnson if he had a gun, the Houma man said yes.

Officers found the weapon in the right pocket of Johnson’s blue jeans, police said.

He was charged with illegal carrying of a weapon.

According to police, there were no signs of any shootings, and Houma PD headquarters did not have any reports of shootings.

Lafayette man arrested on second DWI charge

A Lafayette man is facing second offense DWI charges after an officer spotted him running a red light at the intersection of Church and Main streets Thursday night, Houma Police reported.

Caleb M. Zeringue, 32, of 1150 Marie Antoinette, was stopped after his black 1997 Infinity swerved across the dotted centerline and jerked back into the right-hand lane, police said. An officer pulled him over on Main Street, near Barrow Street.

Zeringue was given a field sobriety test after the officer noticed the man appeared to have been drinking.

He was subsequently charged with DWI (second offense) and disobeying a red light.

Thibodaux shooting suspect turns himself in

A Thibodaux man wanted in the May 5 shooting of a 26-year-old during a brief disagreement turned himself in to Thibodaux Police Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

Everton Smith, 20, was charged on a warrant for aggravated battery (by shooting) and a bench warrant issued by City Court for one count of failure to appear (nuisance). The bond on the first charge is $10,0000; bond on the second charge is $2,500, police said.

Unable to post his $12,500 bond, Smith was transported to the Lafourche Parish Detention Center where he remains, authorities said.

On May 5, Smith and Johnny Thomas, also of Thibodaux, got into a brief disagreement, after which Smith allegedly shot the other man at close range in the rear torso.

Thomas was treated at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and later released, police said.

Smith fled after the shooting. A warrant had been issued for his arrest.

Teen sought for Rite Aid assault

Houma Police are searching for a juvenile who assaulted a Rite Aid store employee with a stick around midnight Thursday, authorities said.

When officers arrived at the 1214 Grand Caillou Road store, the 38-year-old woman told police that the juvenile leaned over the counter and attempted to steal some items. When the manager ran to the front of the store, the teen fled.

The woman described the suspect as a young black male, of short, slim build, who was wearing a black dew rag covering his head and face. He was wearing a white shirt, and carrying a yellow backpack, police said.

Officers searched the area but were unable to find the teen, police said. Anyone with information concerning the incident is asked to call Houma Police at (985) 873-6371.

Dulac man, teen arrested for burglarizing, torching residence

A Dulac man and a teen were arrested for burglarizing a residence May 5 and then setting it on fire, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office reported. A second juvenile is being sought in connection with the crime.

Investigators were called to a residential house on Four Point Road in Dulac Saturday, the sheriff’s office said. The learned the house had been burglarized before the fire started. The house and its contents were completely destroyed in the blaze.

The sheriff’s office said the homeowners were not present at the time of the burglary or fire.

Last Wednesday, detectives arrested Brett Phillips, 17, at 8136 Grand Caillou Rd., and a Dulac juvenile for the crime.

Detectives reportedly found several of the firearms stolen from the Four Point Road residence hidden in the ceiling of Phillips’ home, the sheriff’s office said. Other stolen items were subsequently recovered, including a television, ammunition and other hunting equipment.

Phillips was arrested on one count of simple burglary.

The juvenile was charged with simple burglary and arson after he admitted to setting the fire that caused the house to burn, the sheriff’s office said. The second teen being sought is an accomplice in the case.

In all, five firearms were recovered. Detectives believe there are other guns that were stolen from the residence that have yet to be recovered.

Anyone with information about the stolen weapons or another other subjects involved are asked to call the sheriff’s office detective bureau at (985) 857-0300.

Internet predator caught in Galliano motel

A Galliano motel worker was arrested last Wednesday afternoon after soliciting sex from what he believed was a 14-year-old girl in an Internet chat room, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.

Gregory Thomas Williams, 24, of Room 123, Bayou Inn Motel, was charged with three counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, said Larry Weidel, sheriff’s office spokesman.

Williams faces a maximum of $10,000 in fines and 10 years in prison if convicted, Weidel said. He is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

Members of the state Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted the Lafourche Parish Capt. Aaron Arabie Tuesday alerting the local sheriff’s office of Williams suspected activity, Weidel said. The task force reported to the local detective division head that they’d been monitoring Williams, whom they believed to be an Internet sexual predator, over the past several months. They’d tracked him to his place of employment, a motel in Galliano, the spokesman explained.

According to Weidel, Det. Lt. Richard Broussard, supervisor of the vice division in Lake Charles, had been posing as a 14-year-old girl. He had been frequenting a chat room on the Internet. Williams soon logged on and started an Internet conversation with the detective, whom he believed to be a young girl.

Conversations between the two took place on about five separate occasions, Weidel said, and eventually led to Williams asking the girl to have sex with him. At one point, Williams masturbated before a Web camera while on the Internet, the sheriff’s office said.

The Calcasieu Parish detective attempted several times to get Williams to meet the girl for a date, but the Galliano man refused, saying it was too far to travel to Lake Charles, Weidel said.

After his visit to the chat room, Williams would log off and delete his site so law enforcement agents could not trace him. However, on one visit he forgot to delete his IP information, and officers discovered he was operating out of the motel in Galliano, Weidel explained.

The task force learned Williams’ name, and eventually found a pictured from an expired drivers’ license in Texas.

A one-time resident of Irving, Texas, Williams attended college for two semesters and served four years in the Marines following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Weidel said. Williams was given a medical discharge. He has no prior criminal record, according to authorities.

Arabie went to the Bayou Inn Motel shortly after he was contact by Calcasieu authorities, Weidel said. On that visit, he was able to positively identify Williams, who was working as a manager on the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift at the motel.

Calcasieu detectives arrived with a warrant for Williams’ arrest. Wiedel said Lafourche detectives escorted them to the motel and took Williams into custody without incident.

Williams was booked at the South Lafourche Sub-station and returned to Lake Charles, Weidel said.

Broussard and his partner, Sgt. Chris Romero, have been working on the state task force for six years. He told Weidel, despite television program such as NBC’s “Dateline,” which exposes sexual predators to the public, the task force has still made hundreds of arrests. “We’ve made 25 arrests like this thus far this year,” Broussard said.

Pair arrested after stealing handgun

Two Houma men were arrested after the stole a 9mm handgun from another man and beat him last Wednesday night, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies were dispatched to the Lisa Park subdivision at 11:30 p.m. There a man told them he was showing the handgun to Justin Boudreaux, 17, of 816 Kenny St., and Richard Lirette, 19, of 804 Kenny St., the sheriff’s office said. The victim said Boudreaux and Lirette took the unloaded weapon from him. As Boudreaux fled with the handgun, Lirette reportedly held the man down, punching him in the face before he too fled. Deputies said the man was bleeding from his nose and mouth.

Deputies found the two Houma men at Boudreaux’s residence.

Boudreaux was arrested without incident; however, when deputies attempted to arrest Lirette a brief struggle ensued before he was handcuffed, according to the sheriff’s office.

Boudreaux was charged with simple robbery and theft. Lirette was charged with simple robbery, theft, simple battery and resisting an officer.

Gibson man arrested after battery

Houma Police arrested a Gibson man after he slugged a man in the eye, struck him with a piece of pipe and fled the scene last Wednesday night.

According to police, Brandon M. Steele, 23, of 6053 Bayou Black Drive, hit a 28-year-old man outside the Red Carpet Inn at 2115 Bayou Black Drive as the man spoke to a woman. Steele allegedly first hit the man in his right eye, and then struck the right side of his jaw with the small pipe, police said. Officers reported the victim had a swollen right eye and his jaw was injured.

The man told police that both the woman and Steele fled in a GMC Sierra truck.

When officers went to Steele’s residence, they found him hiding in the corner of a bedroom closet, police said. He was arrested for aggravated battery, as well as outstanding warrants for no proof of insurance, no license plate light and operating a vehicle while his driver’s license was under suspension.

Houma man arrested after kidnapping, attempting to rape store clerk

A Houma man was arrested last Tuesday morning after he attempted to rape a clerk at a convenience store in the 800 block Grand Caillou Road, Houma Police reported.

Ron Daniel Underdonk, 35, of 131 Cleveland St., was arrested for aggravated kidnapping, attempted aggravated rape and on an outstanding warrant for domestic abuse battery.

According to police, Underdonk entered the store at 7:12 a.m. and punched the 26-year-old clerk in the face. The woman told officers Underdonk forced her out of the store’s back door and attempted to pull her clothes off. She fought and was able to escape, police said.

Underdonk ran away before officers arrived.

The woman was treated at Chabert Medical Center for cuts on her face and upper lip.

Houma Police detectives learned Underdonk’s identity. He was arrested at his home at 10:41 a.m.

The maximum penalty for aggravated kidnapping is life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

Altered Percocet prescription lands Houma man in jail

Houma Police arrested a local man last Tuesday night at the Walgreen’s on East Tunnel Boulevard after he attempted to have a forged prescription filled.

Travis P. Lirette, 26, of 121 Patterson St., Houma, was charged with altering a prescription for CDS and unlawful acquisition of a CDS after the pharmacist notified police. The prescription was originally written for 23 Percocet with no refills, police said. However, the altered prescription was for 90 Percocet with three refills.

Lirette admitted to officers that he altered the prescription to receive more pills, police said. The forged prescription was seized for evidence.

Houma man arrested in cash grab

A Houma man is facing simple robbery charges after he grabbed money from a 64-year-old man’s wheelchair back pouch and fled, Houma Police said.

Terry Hawthorne, 23, of 412 Morgan St., was arrested mid-day last Tuesday with the assistance of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to a news release.

The previous Saturday, Hawthorne reportedly grabbed the cash from a man who had just receive it from a local loan company in the 1000 block of Grand Caillou Road, police said. The man placed the money in the back pouch of his wheelchair. He saw Hawthorne grab the cash and take off running.

Houma couple arrested after theft outside day care

A Houma couple was arrested last Tuesday evening after stealing a purse out of a car as the owner picked up her child at a day care center on South Hollywood Road, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.

Deputies arrested Casey Singleton, 20, and Britney Dehart Singleton, 18, both of 140 Columbus St., and charged them with two counts of simple burglary of a vehicle.

According to deputies, the woman arrived at the nursery and left her vehicle unlocked with her purse on the front seat of the car when she went inside to retrieve her child. Casey Singleton allegedly entered the car, took the purse and left the scene in a black Pontiac Grand Am as the woman was returning to her vehicle.

Information about the Singletons’ vehicle was dispatched to other patrol units. A deputy spotted the car near the intersection of La. Hwy. 311 and Hollywood Road.

At Valhi Boulevard, the deputy stopped Singleton. The officer retrieved the woman’s stolen purse from the front passenger floorboard of Singleton’s car, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s office detectives were investigating similar cases where purses were stolen from inside vehicles as parents dropped off or picked up children at local day care centers. After questioning the Singletons, the sheriff’s office determined the couple was also responsible for a similar burglary on May 1 at a day care center on Monarch Drive.

Anyone with information concerning similar cases should contact the TPSO Detective Bureau at (985) 876-2500.

Crime Reports