Seven Additional Arrests Made In Connection With The August 17, 2020 Racketeering Operation At The St. Martin Parish Correctional Center

Oct 26, 2020

(St. Martinville, LA.)-Sheriff Becket Breaux announced on August 17, 2020, that following a four week long investigation, fourteen inmates and one former inmate were charged in connection with racketeering involving the introduction of contraband and illegal narcotics into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center. During the course of the initial investigation, Deputies uncovered an elaborate drug distribution network carried out by working inmates and general population inmates.

On Friday, October 23, 2020, following the extensive ongoing investigation, Deputies arrested and charged the following 6 individuals for their involvement in the initial enterprise as follows:

  • Bailey Williams-20, Breaux Bridge, LA.
  • Martha Lavergne-46, Breaux Bridge, LA.
  • Juanita Batiste-65, Breaux Bridge, LA.
  • Demetris Jackson, 29, Breaux Bridge, LA.

The following two individuals were already incarcerated at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center on unrelated charges and were also booked on the below charges.

  • Trey Lavergne, 27, Breaux Bridge, LA.
  • Jacob Joseph, 29, Breaux Bridge, LA.

Brisen Jones, 28, Broussard, the seventh and final suspect, was arrested this morning, Monday, October 26, 2020 and was charged as follows:

  • LA R.S. 13:1352-Racketeering activity (which encompasses the following four charges)
  •  40:966(A) Manufacture; distribution of Schedule I Controlled substances
  •  40:969(A) Manufacture; distribution of Schedule IV Controlled dangerous substances
  •  14:230 Money Laundering
  •  14:402-Certain activities regarding contraband in penal institutions prohibited
  • LA R.S. 40:1041-Transactions involving proceeds from controlled dangerous substances activity                                 

Following their arrests, they were booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center on the above charges and their bonds were set at $55,000.00.

We would like to thank the Broussard Police Department and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in reference to this investigation.

As previously mentioned, Sheriff Breaux’s main initiatives when he took office on July 1, 2020, was to rid St. Martin Parish of illegal drug activity, and eradicate contraband from the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center. He continues to commit vast amount of resources toward the prevention of contraband entering the facility.