Teens charged with attempted arson of new Patterson Junior High

Three Patterson teens were charged with attempted arson Sunday night after authorities caught them trying to start a fire at the construction site of the new Patterson Junior High School, Police Chief Patrick LaSalle said.
—A juvenile male, 15, of Patterson, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Sunday on the charge of attempted simple arson.
—A juvenile male, 16, of Patterson, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Sunday on the charge of attempted simple arson.
—A juvenile male, 16, of Patterson, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Sunday on the charge of attempted simple arson.
About two weeks ago, police received reports of people entering onto the construction site of the new Patterson High School, LaSalle said. Therefore, police set up increased surveillance at the site, and construction personnel notified police of an incident, the chief said.
Investigators discovered that the three juveniles attempted to start a fire at the facility. Firefighters responded and put out the fire, which caused minor damage at the construction site, LaSalle said.
All three suspects were caught after a short foot chase and released to their parents pending a court hearing.
LaSalle reported the following arrest:
—Jerry L. Percle Jr., 48, of Canton Street in Berwick, was arrested at 9:45 a.m. Saturday on a warrant charging him with residential contractor fraud. Percle was released on $2,500 bail.
Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported the following arrests:
—Demarcus Roy, 24, of Mallard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 6:25 p.m. Friday on the charge of criminal trespassing.
Officers responded to a home on Mallard Street in Brownell Homes in regard to a person trespassing on housing authority property. Police arrived and located Roy inside the home. Roy was previously barred from Morgan City Housing Authority Property. Roy was jailed.
—Lynn P. Guidry Jr., 27, of Fern Street in Thibodaux, was arrested at 4 a.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of a methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Tyler M. Kapp, 25, of Crenshaw Street in Berwick, was arrested at 4 a.m. Saturday on the charges of improper lane usage, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension.
A patrolling officer observed a vehicle on Brashear Avenue near Fifth Street traveling out of its lane and stopped the vehicle. Kapp was identified as the driver and Guidry as the passenger. Kapp had a suspended driver’s license. Their behavior made police suspicious that they may be involved in illegal drug activity.
The officer searched Kapp and located suspected drug paraphernalia. During a search of the vehicle, the officer located suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia where Guidry was seated. Both Kapp and Guidry were jailed.
—Deacon W. Goodwin II, 20, of South Railroad Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 10 a.m. Saturday on a Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant charging him with possession of stolen things.
Officers located Goodwin at a home on South Railroad Avenue and arrested him on the warrant. Goodwin was jailed.
—Bryan K. Wright, 42, of Ponderosa Street in Gray, was arrested at 8:51 p.m. Saturday on the charge of disturbing the peace.
Officers responded to the area of Gen. Patton Street near Chester Bowles Street in regard to a reported disturbance. Police arrived when they located a person, identified as Wright, in the middle of the roadway with no shirt and acting in an aggressive manner. Police spoke with several witnesses to the incident who told officers that they saw Wright pacing in the middle of the roadway blocking traffic.
A man driving a vehicle confronted Wright about blocking the roadway when Wright took off his shirt and wanted to fight the motorist. Wright was jailed.
—Georgia H. Johnson, 44, of La. 75 in Plaquemine, was arrested at 9 p.m. Saturday on the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Johnson was identified as the passenger of a vehicle during a traffic stop on Victor II Boulevard. Johnson’s behavior made officers suspicious that she may be involved in illegal drug activity. Police searched Johnson and located suspected drug paraphernalia on her. Johnson was jailed.
—Christopher Sylvester, 20, of Short Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:24 p.m. Saturday on the charge of entering or remaining in places after being forbidden.
Officers responded to a home on Birch Street in regard to removing a subject from the home. Police arrived when they spoke to the complainant who was identified as the owner of the home. The complainant told officers that Sylvester was at the home causing a disturbance and that they wanted him removed.
Police instructed Sylvester that he had to leave the home but he refused to do so. Sylvester was jailed.
—Caleb P. Darden, 19, of Progresso Road in Patterson, was arrested at 5:26 p.m. Friday on the charges of possession of synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An officer responded to a home on Laurel Street in regard to a suspicious vehicle parked in the complainant’s driveway. The officer arrived at the home and located a vehicle matching the description in the driveway occupied by a person identified as Darden. Darden’s behavior made officers suspicious that he may be involved in illegal drug activity.
Police searched the vehicle and located suspected synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Darden was jailed.
—Leonard A. Yarborough, 55, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 6 p.m. Sunday on the charge of theft by shoplifting.
An officer responded to a local business on La. 182 in regard to a call of a shoplifter. The officer arrived and spoke with the business manager who told the officer that there was a subject inside the store that was suspected of taking items from the business and concealing them on his person.
The officer located the person in question identified as Yarborough. Police conducted a search and located the alleged stolen items on Yarborough. The officer found evidence of the alleged theft, and Yarborough was jailed.
—Dequante Wesley, 23, of Orange Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 6 p.m. Sunday on the charges of criminal trespassing, resisting an officer, battery on a police officer, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of ecstasy, violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws-drug free zone and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana.
Officers responded to Mallard Street in Brownell Homes in regard to a reported disturbance. Police arrived and observed a person they knew to be Wesley, who appeared to be involved in the alleged disturbance. Officers knew that Wesley was barred from all Morgan City Housing Authority property and that he also had an active city court arrest warrant.
As the officer approached, Wesley attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by the officer. Wesley began to fight with the officer as the officer attempted to place him into cuffs when Wesley allegedly committed a battery on the officer.
A struggle then ensued when the officer was able to place Wesley into handcuffs moments later. Wesley was transported to jail for booking, and an officer located suspected cocaine, which was believed to be packed for distribution, along with suspected ecstasy on Wesley.
The location of Wesley’s arrest was within the area of a drug free zone in violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws. Wesley was jailed.
—Stephanie M. Harvey, 38, of Cane Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:53 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging her with unauthorized use of an access card.
Officers located Harvey on Federal Avenue near Egle Street and arrested her on a warrant. The warrant stems from an investigation of an incident reported Jan. 24 of alleged unauthorized use of an access card. Harvey was jailed.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrests:
—Deven Vining, 23, of River Road in Berwick, was arrested at 9:27 p.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of alprazolam with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, headlamps required on a motor vehicle, no driver’s license, reckless operation and resisting an officer.
—Brooke McManus, 25, of Azalea Drive in Donner, was arrested at 11 p.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of alprazolam with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance, obstruction of justice and possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Tiffany Randolph, 27, of Big Bear Lane in Franklin, was arrested at 11:05 p.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and prohibited acts-alprazolam.
Vining, McManus and Randolph were awaiting bail to be set.
—Tonia Jenkins, 38, of Lineville, Alabama, was arrested at 10:36 a.m. Saturday on the charges of two tail lamps required and driving under suspension. Jenkins posted $1,250 bail.
—Jeffrey Lambert, 42, of Pacific Street in Berwick, was arrested at 2:22 p.m. Saturday on two St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office warrants for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and issuing worthless checks. Lambert was released on bail.