CRIMES

Mathews man arrested after trying to hide in bayou

A Mathews man thought he’d evade deputies by jumping into Bayou Lafourche.

It didn’t work.

Instead, he got arrested while soaked and wet.

On Wednesday, agents with the Lafourche Parish Drug Task Force obtained information about Timothy Bellanger, 26, of Mathews’ whereabouts.

Bellanger had three active warrants for contempt of court for failure to appear in court for a child support hearing, as well as prior charges for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Authorities proceeded to the location near Linda Street in Lockport, right near the bank of Bayou Lafourche. Upon officers’ arrival, Bellanger jumped into the bayou in an attempt to escape.

Officers lost contact with Bellanger initially, but then located him hiding near a saltwater control structure.

He is charged with all of the offenses listed above and now also for resisting an officer and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

One officer arrested, another sentenced

Two women associated with law enforcement in two different parishes are making news this week, but not for being the good guys.

A former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office captain, Dawn Foret, once that agency’s chief of detectives, was sentenced to probation by a federal judge after pleading guilty to stealing money from a federal program.

In Lafourche, corrections officer LaShanta Williams, was arrested in Terrebonne for allegedly helping a family member hide drugs and cash when authorities sought to execute a search warrant in Houma.

Foret was placed on probation for three years by U.S. District Court Sarah Vance. She must also pay more than $14,000 in restitution.

Williams was arrested last Tuesday near The Landing apartments. She was charged with obstruction of justice and transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses.