Latest Ascension Parish crime briefs – Donaldsonville Chief

Gonzales man pleads guilty to Illegal Narcotics Possession

On Feb. 6, Jamie Bourgeois of 41082 Busy Needles Road, Gonzales, age 46, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance. Bourgeois was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Charles Chuck Long, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg. The guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors following a report of narcotics activity in the Gonzales area.

On Oct. 3, 2016, Ascension Parish Sheriffs Deputies were dispatched to a business on Airline Highway in Gonzales following a report of narcotics activity. An off-duty police officer advised dispatchers that he observed a male subject shooting heroin in the parking lot of a Gonzales convenience store. The off-duty officer observed the subject get into a vehicle with two other individuals and followed them as they traveled to another nearby business.

Upon arrival, sheriffs deputies were able to locate the vehicle in question and make contact with its occupants. Deputies were granted consent to search the vehicle by its registered owner. During the search, deputies located a pink plastic baggie containing heroin residue. When questioned, the owner of the vehicle told deputies that Bourgeois had just finished taking a hit of heroin.

The off-duty police officer identified Bourgeois as being the individual he saw ingesting the heroin. Bourgeois was arrested and transported to the Ascension Parish Detention Center where he was booked accordingly.

Upon entering a guilty plea to the above charge, as per the plea agreement with prosecutors, Judge Stromberg ordered that Bourgeois be committed to the Louisiana Department of Corrections for a period of three years with credit for time served.

South Carolina contractor arrested for fraud in connection with flood

Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office Major Kevin Hanna reports the arrest of 49-year-old Gregory Gager of Pratt St., Sharon, S. C. for residential contractor fraud and engaging in business of contracting without a license.

On Nov. 5, 2016, deputies received a complaint from a Prairieville homeowner who stated she hired Gager to repair her home after the August 2016 flood. The agreed contract was executed in September 2016 for repairs in the amount of $19,500. The victim paid Gager in three draws, between Sept. 12 and Oct. 3, totaling over $17,000 for repairs that was never completed.

In late October, Gager contacted the victim via text message telling her he needed additional money from her to complete the repairs. She responded that he had not yet completed the repairs of the $17,000 that she had already paid him.

At this point she never could re-establish contact with Gager. Estimates were then obtained from two independent contractors who determined that the amount of work that was actually completed by Gager, to date, totaled approximately $9,000 to $10,000.

After further investigation, it was learned that Gager is not licensed through the Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors, which contractors are required to register with the board in order to perform services in an amount between $7,000 and $75,000.

Gager was arrested and charged with residential contractor fraud and engaging in business of contracting without a license. He was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail.

Guilty Pleas

During the week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 10, the following defendants pled guilty to various charges and were sentenced in the 23rd Judicial District Court, parishes of Ascension, Assumption and St. James.

Ascension Parish

Jamie Bourgeois, 41082 Busy Needles Road, Gonzales, 46, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to three years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Renaldo Green, 1219 S. Sybil Ave., Gonzales, 35, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance, Driving Under Suspension, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, Careless Operation, and Resisting an Officer. On the charge of Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance, the defendant was sentenced to five years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. On the charges of Driving Under Suspension, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, Careless Operation, and Resisting an Officer, the defendant was sentenced to 30 days in the parish jail with credit for time served on each charge. All of the imposed sentences are to run concurrent with one another.

Wilbert Thomas, 5717 Comishi Drive, Baton Rouge, 35, pled guilty to Illegal Carrying of Weapons and Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance. The defendant was sentenced to five years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each charge. The imposed sentences are to run concurrent with one another.

Tomeka Bingham, 6820 Cezanne Ave., Baton Rouge, 44, pled guilty to Obtaining Drugs by Fraudulent Means and was sentenced to three years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. It was ordered that one year of the imposed sentence is to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Upon release, the defendant is to be placed on two years supervised probation.

Juan Acosta, 324 New River Road, Gonzales, 36, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to two years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Brock Doucet, 13860 Brittany Court, Denham Springs, 39, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance, Possession of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoids, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The defendant was sentenced to five years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

James Granger, 1128 E. Sybil St. Gonzales, 36, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance, Driving Under Suspension, No Insurance, and Switched License Plates. The defendant was sentenced to three years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on three years supervised probation.

Charlotte Coppenbarger, 25175 Cherry Lane, Holden, 31, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to four years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on four years supervised probation.

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Charles Chuck Long and Lindsey Manda. Presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg.

Assumption Parish

Troy Canselo, 1617 Pace Blvd., New Orleans, 44, pled guilty to Attempted Armed Robbery and was sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. The imposed sentence is to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Daigle, and Presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jessie LeBlanc.

St. James Parish

Walter Williams, 522 E Frisco Drive, Laplace, 44, pled guilty to Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and was sentenced to five years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on five years supervised probation.

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bruce Mohon, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Alvin Turner Jr.

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Latest Ascension Parish crime briefs - Donaldsonville Chief