18. March 2024
Stephen Dwight, Calcasieu Parish District Attorney, has created a fentanyl awareness and education program called One Life at a Time. “One life lost to an overdose is too many. Nearly 100 people die of an overdose in Calcasieu Parish each year and it’s time that dealers and distributors of fentanyl are held accountable for murder if someone dies of a fentanyl overdose.” said Dwight. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved...
23. January 2024
Today, January 23rd, Kristopher J. Lalonde, 50, Groves, Tx, pled guilty to Manslaughter and was sentenced by Judge Robert Wyatt to 25 years in prison. Lalonde’s sentence is to be served at hard labor and he will receive credit for time served. On March 18, 2021, a Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy attempted to stop Lalonde for a traffic violation. Lalonde ran a stop sign while being pursued by the Deputy, causing a collision with another vehicle who had the right of way, which...
19. January 2024
Today, January 19th, Judge Clayton Davis sentenced Stephen D. Cormier, 45, Lake Charles, to 99 years in prison on one (1) count 2nd Degree Sexual Battery; 40 years in prison on one (1) count 2nd Degree Kidnapping; and 5 years in prison on one (1) count Mingling Harmful Substances. Cormier received the maximum sentence for each charge. The sentences are to run concurrently and all to be served at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. In 2021, Cormier put a...
05. January 2024
Today, January 5, Judge Michael Canaday sentenced Steven D. Rigmaiden, 30, Lake Charles, to life in prison on a Second Degree Murder charge. In 2021, Rigmaiden shot and killed the victim in the middle of the road and was found guilty as charged of Second Degree Murder in June of 2023. Assistant District Attorney Joey Williams prosecuted the case for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office.
08. December 2023
Yesterday, November 28, 2023, Xavier L. Johnwell, 30, Lake Charles, was found guilty as charged of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Illegal Carrying of a Weapon-2nd Offense. In 2021, the Combined Anti-Drug Team (C.A.T.) responded to a call of suspicious activity at a vacant house. Upon arrival to the house, Johnwell fled from C.A.T. officers and once detained, it was discovered Johnwell had a firearm on him. Upon further investigation it was also learned that Johnwell is a...
22. November 2023
Yesterday, November 21, Stephen D. Cormier, 45, Lake Charles, was found guilty as charged of 2nd Degree Sexual Battery, 2nd Degree Kidnapping, and Mingling Harmful Substances. In 2021, Cormier put a sleeping aid in the victim’s drink and once the victim was unconscious, Cormier drove the victim to a different location and sexually abused her. Cormier will be sentenced on January 18, 2024 before Judge Clayton Davis. Assistant District Attorneys Hope Buford, Taylor Alexander, and Chas Swinburn...
02. October 2023
Today, October 2, Kendrick M. Cox, 32, Natchitoches, LA, pled guilty as charged to First Degree Murder and was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Michael Canaday. In 2022, Cox brutally murdered his victim after meeting him on a dating app. Cox has a warrant for a separate homicide case out of Natchitoches and will be transported there to answer to that charge. First Assistant District Attorney Jacob Johnson and Conrad Huber handled the case for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s...
27. September 2023
Yesterday, September 27, Judge Kendrick Guidry sentenced Byron J. LeJeune, 35, Egan, LA, to 30 years in prison on one (1) count 2nd Degree Rape; five (5) years in prison on one (1) count Domestic Abuse Battery-Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury; and three (3) years in prison on one (1) count Domestic Abuse Battery-Strangulation. The sentences are to be ran concurrently and without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. In 2021, Lejeune violently beat the victim in the face...
13. September 2023
Today, September 13th, Kaden S. Peloquin, 19, Lake Charles, pled guilty to First Degree Rape and was sentenced to life in prison at hard labor by Judge Robert Wyatt. In 2020, Peloquin forced the victim, who was under 13 at the time of the crime, to have sexual intercourse with him on multiple occasions. During the investigation, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office performed a data extraction on his cell phone and discovered over 50 images of child pornography created during his attacks on...
21. July 2023
Today, July 21, 2023, Judge Robert Wyatt sentenced Blaine K. LeCompte, 44, Lake Charles, to 25 years in prison on one (1) count Vehicular Homicide; and 5 years in prison on each of the two (2) counts of First Degree Vehicular Negligent Injuring. The sentences are to be served at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. The sentence for Vehicular Homicide is to be ran consecutively to the sentences of First Degree Vehicular Negligent Injuring which is to be...