SERVING ASCENSION, ASSUMPTION & ST. JAMES PARISHES

During the week of April 7 – April 11, 2025, the following defendants pled guilty to various charges and were sentenced in the 23rd Judicial District Court, parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James

Posted on by Claire Falgoust

Ascension Parish: 

  1. Florin Ulmerian, age 23, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft, Conspiracy to Commit Monetary Instrument Abuse, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Violation of Anti-Skimming Act. The defendant was sentenced to 2 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Juan Villatoro-Cabrera, 18166 Beechwood Sub’d Rd. Prairieville, LA, age 32, pled guilty to DWI 3rd Offense and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. It was ordered that 1 year of the said sentence is to be served, and the remaining 4 years are to be suspended. Upon release from incarceration, the defendant is to be placed on 4 years supervised probation to include 1 year of home incarceration. 
  1. Luis Balderas, 41046 J D Gautreau Rd. Gonzales, LA, age 26, pled Guilty to Domestic Abuse Battery 3rd Offense and was sentenced to 2 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. It was ordered that 1 year of the said sentence is to be served, and the remaining 1 year is to be suspended. Upon release from incarceration, the defendant is to be placed on 1-year supervised probation. 
  1. Shawn Lewis, 158 W 4th Edgard, LA, age 26, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Theft of a Firearm and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 3 years supervised probation.                                                                                                                                 
  2. Michael Carraway, 9335 Hwy 405 Donaldsonville, LA, age 54, pled guilty to DWI 3rd Offense and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. It was ordered that 1 year of the said sentence is to be served, and the remaining 4 years are to be suspended. Upon release from incarceration, the defendant is to be placed on 4 years supervised probation to include 1 year of home incarceration. 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Philip Prescott, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets. 

  1. Patrick Weise Jr., 48169 Little Prairie Rd. Prairieville, LA, age 43, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 36 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 36 months supervised probation. 
  1. Kilwandy Ashton, 17582 Lomas St. Prairieville, LA, age 48, pled guilty to Possession of Fentanyl and Obstruction of Justice. The defendant was sentenced to 36 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 36 months supervised probation. 
  1. Celeste Babin, 15024 Meadow Lane Prairieville, LA, age 47, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 24 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 24 months supervised probation. 
  1. Michael Bacon, 13056 Bayou Terrace St. Amant, LA, age 43, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Dangerous Substance and Possession of Fentanyl. The defendant was sentenced to 3 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Duwanna Busby, 39041 James Dr. Prairieville, LA, age 58, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 24 months supervised probation. 
  1. Amana Craven Green, 41433 Merritt Evans Rd. Prairieville, LA, age 43, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 18 months supervised probation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  2. Kristy Fontenot, 40065 Alise Ave. Prairieville, LA, age 39, pled guilty to Illegal Possession of Stolen Goods and Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance. The defendant was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Correction with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 36 months supervised probation. 
  1. Keith Lewis, 1620 Houmas Ave. Gonzales, LA, age 49, pled guilty to Distribution, Manufacture, or Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Luis Martinez, 40721 Hwy 22 Sorrento, LA, age 22, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and Possession of Marijuana. The defendant was sentenced to 13 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Anahi Vazques, 40721 Hwy 22 Sorrento, LA, age 22, pled guilty to Illegal Carrying of Weapons, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and Possession of Marijuana. The defendant was sentenced to 13 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Patricia Strother, 14166 Old River Rd. Maurepas, LA, age 55, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 12 months supervised probation. 
  1. Gabriel Smith, 628 S 16th Baton Rouge, LA, age 31, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 24 months supervised probation. 
  1. Charles Jackson, 5030 Brown Rd. Darrow, LA, age 62, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance (3 counts), Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl (2 counts), and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance (5 counts). The defendant was sentenced to 15 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.                                                                                                           
  2. Kaitlyn Whittington, 5030 Brown Rd. Darrow, LA, age 32, pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance (2 counts), Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance (4 counts) and Possession of Fentanyl. The defendant was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. 
  1. Herman Nicholson, 222 E 26th Reserve, LA, age 56, pled guilty to Attempted Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 1 year in the parish jail with credit for time served. 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Charles “Chuck” Long, Robin O’Bannon, and Kenneth Dupaty. Presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge John Smith. 

Assumption Parish: 

  1. Jorian Johnson, 504 ½ Adam Hall St. Napoleonville, LA, age 17, pled guilty to Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 18 months supervised probation. 
  1. Tara Carroll, 2053 Levee Hwy Pierre Part, LA, age 60, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 18 months supervised probation. 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Daigle, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau.    

St. James Parish: 

  1. Amy Trepagnier, 37422 Southwood Village Ave. Prairieville, LA, age 39, pled guilty to Residential Contractor Fraud Valued at $25,000 or More and was sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 3 years supervised probation. 
  1. Randall Trepagnier, 37422 Southwood Village Ave. Prairieville, LA, age 41, pled guilty to Residential Contractor Fraud Valued at $25,000 or More and was sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 3 years supervised probation. 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Cody Martin.