Man charged for role in local bank fraud

A 24-year-old Morgan City man was accused of principal to commit bank fraud after he provided a business check for another person to deposit in a bank account, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Clay Broussard, 24, of Landry Lane in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:50 a.m. Thursday on a warrant charging him with principal to commit bank fraud.
The warrant stems from an investigation by detectives where Broussard provided a check to another person, Blair said. The business check was then deposited into a bank account which was similar in name to the company on the check, Blair said.
Detectives were contacted when employees of the bank questioned the check, Blair said. Broussard was arrested after he came to the Police Department to speak with detectives about the matter. Broussard was jailed with no bail set yet. The investigation is still ongoing.
Blair reported the following arrests:
—Aaron Arnett, 34, of Susan Drive in Morgan City, was arrested at 12:07 p.m. Thursday on warrants charging him with possession of stolen things and felony theft.
Arnett was arrested after he came to the Morgan City Police Department to speak with detectives. The warrants stem from an investigation into a residential theft, Blair said.
Detectives learned that Arnett had removed items that didn’t belong to him while moving out of the home, Blair said.. Arnett was jailed with no bail set yet.
—Eric Gaskins, 44, of Apple Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 12:07 p.m. Thursday on the charges of theft of goods valued at $37.95 and open container.
Officers responded to a complaint from a La. 182 business after employees observed Gaskins take items from the business, Blair said. Officers located Gaskins under the U.S. 90 bridge and observed him drinking a beer, Blair said.
Officers detained Gaskins and viewed video from the business which showed Gaskins removing items from the business, Blair said. Gaskins was jailed.
—Constance Dycus, 57, of Onstead Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:20 p.m. Thursday on the charges of stop sign violation, driving under suspension and no insurance.
A patrolling officer conducted a traffic stop after he observed a vehicle in the area of Fifth and Everett streets fail to stop at the sign. The driver, identified as Dycus, didn’t have a valid driver’s license or valid insurance, Blair said. She was jailed.
—Dewon Rials, 34, of Houma, was arrested at 10:20 p.m. Thursday on the charges of possession of marijuana third offense, possession of Schedule IV Clonazepam and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A patrolling officer conducted a traffic stop on Brashear Avenue. The officer identified the passenger as Rials and received consent to search the vehicle, Blair said.
The officer located a cigarette pack, which contained suspected marijuana, near where Rials was sitting, Blair said. Officers also located in that same area a pill identified as clonazepam and Zig Zag rolling papers, Blair said. Rials admitted that all of the items were his, Blair said. Rials was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 40 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:
—Sylvester Hillery Jr., 42, of the 900 block of Center Street in Vinton, was arrested at 12:32 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for simple burglary.
On Aug. 25, 2011, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s office began an investigation into a theft at a business on La. 182 in Amelia. The crime was recorded by video surveillance. Detectives observed two male suspects enter the property and steal over $1,000 in welding equipment from the business, Hebert said.
Investigators identified both subjects. One of the men was arrested in October 2011. A warrant was obtained for the second suspect, identified as Hillery.
Hillery was taken into custody by the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office on the warrant and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Hillery was released after posting $5,000 bail.
—Dazjhalun Charles, 18, of the 100 block of Diana Lane in Jeanerette, was arrested at 2:02 a.m. today on the charges of failure to dim headlights and possession of marijuana.
—Travis Jones Jr., 18, of the 600 block of Janice Street in Jeanerette, was arrested at 2:16 a.m. today on the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
A deputy assigned to patrol the Bayou Vista area conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on La. 182 after the driver failed to dim the vehicle’s headlights. The deputy made contact with the driver, Charles, and passenger, Jones, and smelled the strong odor of burning marijuana emanating from the vehicle.
The deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located marijuana rolled in a cigar that was partially burnt. The deputy also located a container with small fragments of marijuana inside.
Following the traffic stop investigation, the deputy released both subjects on summonses to appear in court Sept. 16.
—Ashley E. Clement, 24, of the 600 block of Lagarde Street in Thibodaux, was arrested at 2:48 a.m. today on the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Machele J. Brashear, 28, of the 100 block of Fane Street in Houma, was arrested at 2:38 a.m. today on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of direct contempt and speeding.
A deputy responded to a complaint of two suspicious persons at a business on U.S. 90 in Bayou Vista. The deputy made contact with the suspects identified as Clement and Brashear. The deputy received consent to search Clement’s purse and located drug paraphernalia including two syringes and two bent spoons, Hebert said.
The deputy also located an active warrant for Brashear. Both suspects were jailed. Clement’s bail is set at $1,500. Brashear’s bail is set at $313.50.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.