Police: City employee charged with malfeasance in office for stealing from victim

A Morgan City public works employee has been charged with malfeasance in office after being accused of stealing money from a victim while on the job, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Johnny D. Knight, 47, of Fifth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:49 p.m. Friday on the charges of malfeasance in office and theft of assets of an aged person.
Knight was arrested at the police department in regard to active arrest warrants, which were obtained as a result of an investigation into an incident reported Oct. 25 of alleged malfeasance in office and theft of assets of an aged person. Knight charged the victim for services he shouldn't have charged her for, police said.
The investigation began from a complaint reported by the alleged victim that accused Knight of taking less than $200 from the victim while working in the city’s public works department, police said. Knight was jailed.
Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi had no comment Monday on Knight’s arrest.
Blair reported the following arrests:
—Mary N. Von-Buelow, 44, of Belanger St. Morgan City, was arrested at 4:17 p.m. Friday on the charge of simple battery.
Police located Von-Buelow at a home on Belanger Street where she was arrested on an active arrest warrant. The warrant stems from an investigation of an incident reported Oct. 12 of an alleged battery. Von-Buelow was jailed.
—Galen W. Ford, 24, of Ditch Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:46 p.m. Friday on the charges of speeding 47 mph in a 25 mph speed zone, improper equipment-no rear view mirrors, improper equipment-no turning signals and no motor vehicle inspection sticker.
A patrolling officer observed a motorcycle traveling on Federal Avenue near Belanger Street at a high rate of speed. The officer clocked the motorcycle at 47 mph in a 25 mph speed zone and conducted a traffic stop. The driver was identified as Ford.
During a traffic investigation, reports indicate that the officer observed that the motorcycle did not have a rear view mirror, front turning signals and a motor vehicle inspection sticker which are required by state law. Ford was jailed.
—Bonnie V. Dupre, 27, of Franklin Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:08 p.m. Friday on the charges of no tail lights and driving under suspension.
A patrolling officer observed a vehicle traveling in the area of Sixth Street near Gen. McArthur Street without any tail lights. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver of the vehicle identified as Dupre, who had a suspended driver’s license. Dupre was jailed.
—Meagen A. Fisher, 28, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:31 a.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of synthetic marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance while in the presence of juveniles.
Officers responded to a home on La. 182 in regard to an unknown medical emergency. Police arrived and located a man who appeared to be in distress and under the influence of narcotics.
The man was transported to a medical facility for treatment. Police spoke with a woman identified as Fisher, who was at the home a 5-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl.
Fisher told officers that she and man had been using synthetic marijuana at the home that night with the juveniles present, Blair said. Fisher allowed officers to search the home when they located suspected synthetic marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Blair said. Fisher was jailed.
—Richard Barrick III, 35, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:33 p.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice and violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws-drug free zone.
Officers responded to a home on Egle Street in regard to a welfare concern. Police arrived and located Barrick, who lived at the home and a woman. During an investigation, officers saw suspected crack cocaine and paraphernalia in plain view on a dresser, Blair said.
Barrick, who was suspected have been using synthetic marijuana, told officers that he had discarded synthetic marijuana upon the officers arrival, Blair said. The location of the incident was within the area of a drug free zone in violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws. Barrick was jailed.
—Reagan Bowers, 18, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:15 pm. on the charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws-drug free zone, obstruction of justice and resisting an officer.
Officers identified Bowers as a passenger inside a vehicle during a traffic stop. Bowers made officers suspicious that she was involved in illegal narcotics activity. Police suspected Bowers to have put illegal narcotics inside her mouth in an attempt to discard them.
Officers then recovered some of the substance from Bowers mouth and identified the substance as suspected marijuana. Police searched Bowers and located more suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The location of the incident was within the area of a drug free zone in violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance laws. Bowers was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 123 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:
—Talesha Cooley, 32, of the 100 block of Dupre Street in Houma, was arrested at 9:53 p.m. Thursday on a 32nd Judicial District warrant for failure to appear for drug court.
A deputy dispatched to a complaint of a disturbance in Bayou Vista made contact with Cooley and located the active warrant for her arrest. Cooley was jailed with no bail set.
—Cory Fernandez, 27, of the 100 block of Terrebonne Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:56 p.m. Friday on the charge of unauthorized use of an access card as theft. A deputy investigating a complaint of the unauthorized use of a credit card collected evidence that Fernandez used the victim’s card without the card holder’s permission. Fernandez was released on a summons to appear in court Feb. 3, 2017.
—Suzette Stewart, 50, of the 300 block of Railroad Avenue in Houma, was arrested at 6:54 p.m. Friday on the charge of no motor vehicle insurance.
A deputy responded to a report of a medical emergency at the intersection of Barrow Street and Lake Palourde Road in Amelia and made contact with the people involved. The deputy learned that two pedestrians walked in front of a vehicle that was turning onto Barrow Street.
No major injuries were reported. The deputy also found that the driver of the vehicle, Stewart, was operating the car without insurance. Stewart was released on a summons to appear in court Feb. 3, 2017.
—Alexandria Breaux, 26, of the 1400 block of Fairmont Avenue in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 9:03 p.m. Friday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of failure to stop at a stop sign, expired motor vehicle inspection, and driving with a suspended license.
A deputy transported Breaux from Assumption Parish to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on the warrant. Breaux was released on a summons to appear in court Feb.3, 2017.
—Stephen A. Boyd Jr., 28, of the 300 block of Ratcliff Lane in Franklin, was arrested at 12:21 p.m. Saturday on the charge of violation of protective orders and simple burglary of a vehicle.
A deputy responded to a report of a disturbance at a home in Ricohoc. During the investigation, the deputy found that Boyd followed a woman to her home and took the victim’s purse from her vehicle. The deputy also found that Boyd’s interaction with the victim violated court protective orders. Boyd was jailed with no bail set.
—Angela Boudreaux, 41, of the 300 block of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:18 p.m. Saturday on two warrants charging her with issuing worthless checks. A deputy made contact with Boudreaux at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center and located the active warrants for her arrest. Boudreaux was released on a summons to appear in court Feb. 3, 2017.
—Kristy Ribardi, 38, of the 100 block of Home Lane in Berwick, was arrested at 3:42 p.m. Saturday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of issuing worthless checks. Ribardi turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Morgan City. Ribardi was booked into jail and released on $350 bail.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrest:
—Jermaine A. Lightell, 20, of the 100 block of Scott Lane in Houma, was arrested at 4:45 a.m. Sunday on the charges of speeding 69 mph in a 55 mph zone, no proof of insurance, no registration in vehicle, possession of marijuana-second offense, two counts of possession of Schedule II drugs-second offense, possession of Schedule IV drugs-first offense and possession of a stolen firearm. No bail is set yet.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrests:
—Tony Weston, 41, of the 600 block of Pacific Street in Berwick, was arrested at 2:22 a.m. Sunday on the charge of violation of a protective order. Weston was awaiting bail to be set.
—Lia Lipari, 40, of Morgan City, was arrested at 10:48 a.m. Saturday on the charges of careless operation and driving under suspension. Lipari was released on bail.