4-14-23
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS IN LAFAYETTE SAID TUESDAY THAT A HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES TOOK A PAYOFF FROM A YOUNGSVILLE MAN FOR A CONTRACT THE DEPARTMENT SIGNED WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY IN OCTOBER OF TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE. THE ADVOCATE OBTAINED RECORDS THROUGH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST THAT SHOWED THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED BY THE AGENCY’S SECRETARY, JACK MONTOUCET. THE YOUNGSVILLE MAN IS DUSTY GUIDRY, WHO WAS INVOLVED IN WORK FOR THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AND WHO PLED GUILTY TO BRIBERY AND CONSPIRACY. MONTOUCET HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE REPORT AND GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS SAYS THEY ARE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEY DON’T YET HAVE ANY SUBSTANTIVE COMMENT.
THE SEARCH FOR FORTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DARREL SINGLETON JUNIOR ENDED AFTER HIS BODY WAS FOUND SUBMERGED IN WATER. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
VOICER H :31
In Louisiana, a Republican lawmaker has filed legislation that would make all adult criminal court records and certain juvenile court records and case information available to the public online, at no-cost. Currently, juvenile court records are confidential. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is running for governor this year, said he hopes the legislation will bring “truth and transparency” to the state’s criminal justice system. Advocates for incarcerated youths oppose the bill — some describing it bluntly as racist — saying it could have unnecessary generational effects on juvenile delinquents.
STATE POLICE LEARNED YESTERDAY THAT A LAKE CHARLES MAN, INVOLVED IN A TWO-VEHICLE CRASH MONDAY, HAS DIED. SIXTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD DANIEL WAYNE MYERS WAS TRAVELING ON L-A THREE-SEVENTY-EIGHT WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE AND REAR-ENDED A PICKUP TRUCK THAT WAS SLOWED DOWN TO TURN INTO A BUSINESS. MYERS LATER DIED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. THE DRIVER OF THE DODGE RAM PICKUP THAT WAS REAR-ENDED SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE MADE AN ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH A HOMOCIDE ON SOPHIE STREET THAT HAPPENED MONDAY. THE VICTIM, WHO WAS FOUND LYING IN THE ROADWAY WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND, WAS IDENTIFIED AS TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD KENTREVON GALLIEN OF LAFAYETTE. POLICE ARRESTED THIRTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD BRYSON BROUSSARD OF LAFAYETTE. HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
ON WEDNESDAY, A MAN ROBBED THE SAINT LANDRY BANK MAIN OFFICE IN OPELOUSAS AND THEN GAVE THE MONEY TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE AND WAITED FOR POLICE. THE FORTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD MAN DEMANDED MONEY FROM A TELLER AND HAD HIS HAND IN HIS POCKET, INDICATING HE HAD A GUN, BUT HE WAS, IN FACT, NOT ARMED. WITNESSES INDICATED THE MAN MAY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. HE WAS TAKEN TO A MEDICAL FACILITY FOR EVALUATION AND, WHEN CLEARED, WAS TAKEN TO THE SAINT LANDRY PARISH JAIL WHERE HE WAS BOOKED ON A CHARGE OF FIRST-DEGREE ROBBERY.
Environmentalists and government watchdog groups have released a study estimating that Louisiana lost more than $82 million of natural gas in 2019 due to leaks, venting or flaring at production sites. The Environmental Defense Fund’s study was released Thursday. The state is looking into developing new rules governing venting and flaring. It said state fossil fuel producers wasted more than 27 billion cubic feet of gas in 2019.
TWO MEN WERE ARRESTED IN ACADIA PARISH BY ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES ON DRUG AND WEAPON CHARGES. ON WEDNESDAY, THE AGENTS MADE CONTACT WITH THE MEN WHO WERE ON A FOURTEEN FOOT VESSEL AND SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOL FROM THE OPERATOR, THIRTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY MARTIN OF MORSE. AFTER DETERMINING HE WAS IMPAIRED, THEY DISCOVERED HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF COCAINE AND HAD A CONCEALED HANDGUN. THE PASSENGER, A MAN FROM PASADENA, TEXAS, WAS ALSO ARRESTED AFTER HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE MARIJUANA AND A CONCEALED HANDGUN.
