NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE
Charles J. Ballay, the District Attorney of Plaquemines Parish, was recently appointed to the Louisiana Sentencing Commission by Governor Bobby Jindal for a term concurrent with that of the governor. Read the rest of this entry »
District Attorney Charles Ballay announces that his office obtained a plea of guilty on March 6, 2013 by Lonnie L. Arnold to three counts of aggravated rape. The crimes occurred between September 2010 and September 2012, in Belle Chasse. Sentencing is set on March 27th before Judge Michael Clement, where the victims will be allowed to make impact statements. The sentence for aggravated rape is mandatory life in prison, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.
Arnold is 61 years of age and a resident of Belle Chasse.
Since these crimes involve sex offenses, and the victims are minors, the identities of them are not revealed.
Click Here to download the PDF
The event will be held April 11th 2013 from 8:30am – 1:00 pm at the Rev. Percy M. Griffin Community Center on 15535 Highway 15, Davant, LA 70040. There will be Free Prizes and this is a FREE EVENT!
Click Here to View the PDF Flyer
District Attorney Charles J. Ballay announces the conviction and sentencing of four defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty in Division A of the 25th Judicial District Court, Plaquemines Parish, on February 19, 2013, presiding Judge Kevin Conner. All cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Joseph E. Roberts. Read the rest of this entry »
Students around Plaquemines Parish participated in Project L.E.A.D.
District Attorney Charles J. Ballay announces the trial and conviction of John M. Gaines, 40 years of age, of Port Sulphur for the crime of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, under Louisiana Revised Statutes, Article 15:542. The jury selection process began on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 and the jury returned a verdict of “Guilty as Charged” on January 27, 2013, in Division B of the 25th Judicial District Court, presided over by the Honorable Judge Michael D. Clement.
On June 15, 2012, Mr. Gaines was arrested on a warrant for failing to register as a sex offender based on his 1992 conviction for the rape of an 11-year-old girl. By the time of his arrest, Mr. Gaines was already five months beyond the statutory time for filing. As a Tier 3 sex offender, Mr. Gaines is required to register with the Plaquemines Parish Sheriffs Office every three months for his lifetime.
The case was investigated by Deputy Tiffanie Provenzano of the Plaquemines Parish Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Bureau; and it was prosecuted and tried by Assistant District Attorney Edward R. McGowan and First Assistant District Attorney Robert M. White.
After trial, Judge Clement ordered the defendant remanded to the custody of the Sheriff, and further ordered the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Division of Probation and Parole to conduct a pre-sentencing investigation. Mr. Gaines is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2013. The sentencing range for the crime is from two to ten years in prison.
However, the District Attorney intends to invoke the Habitual Offender Statute based on Mr. Gaines’ other felony convictions for Distribution of Cocaine in 1999, Attempted Obstruction of Justice in 2004, Distribution of Cocaine and Second Degree Battery in 2009. Based on his additional convictions, the sentencing range is twenty years to life in prison.
District Attorney Charles Ballay Presents
The Plaquemines Parish Third Annual Senior Citizens’ Day
April 11th 2012
8:30am – 1:00 pm
Belle Chasse Auditorium
8398 Highway 23
Belle Chasse, LA 70037 Read the rest of this entry »
Please see the attached news release by Clicking Here.
