Teamwork leads to three arrests

By: CARISSA HEBERT

Managing Editor

Teamwork is the key to solving crimes when they cross parish lines, and both Evangeline Parish and St. Landry Parish sheriff’s offices are happy they have a great working relationship.

Recently, Captain Keith Dupre, chief of detectives for Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, said the department received a complaint from a Mamou resident, located off the Oberlin Road, that someone had stolen 48 sacks of crawfish from a cooler. He said the sheriff’s office actually knew about the theft before the report was made Wednesday, March 12, because he received a call from Detective Rick Leger of the St. Landry Parish’s Sheriff’s Office, who is in charge of the Eunice Substation.

Leger asked Dupre if Evangeline Parish had any reports of stolen crawfish, because he had received information someone was selling crawfish in Eunice for $5 to $10 per sack.

“At that time we didn’t,” Dupre said. Then, Deputy Joe Arnaud took a report of some missing crawfish. The victim also said someone had attempted to start his tractor.

Leger gave Dupre two names, and Dupre began investigating the case. Leger picked up Noel Charles “Chuck Roy” Roy, 43 (dob 9-7-64) for questioning and then transferred him to Evangeline Parish. When Dupre spoke to Roy, he said Roy admitted they had taken the crawfish and sold them in two different places in the Eunice area. Roy was charged with burglary and theft in this case.

Dupre also learned Sammi Jo Ray, 23, 1542 Duralde Highway, Lot 6, Mamou, was involved in the case. She was charged Friday, March 14, with burglary and theft. Her bond was set at $10,000. An arrest warrant was secured for Brandon Ray, no age given, 1542 Duralde Highway, Lot 6, Mamou, on burglary and theft charges.

Dupre said with crawfish sacks weighing an approximate 35 pounds per sack, 48 sacks would be approximately 1,670 pounds of crawfish. This was a major theft, and he thanked Leger for assisting the department.

“I’ve known Rick for a long time. Our working relationship has always been great. Rick went above anything he needed to do as far as getting information pertaining to this case in our parish. We worked hand-in-hand.

Sheriff Eddie Soileau thanked Sheriff Bobby Guidroz and his staff for this assistance. He said he knew Guidroz from their class days in law enforcement. He said they would be working on a two-parish task force and keeping their “good-working” relationship.

Leger said they’ve had a great working relationship with the former sheriff and the two departments planned to continue that relationship when it came to working relations. “We can get a lot more crimes solved by working together,” he said. He said it worked both ways, and when he received information about the selling of crawfish, he contacted Evangeline Parish.”