Last week, Stephen James of 23455 Crane St. Maurepas, LA, age 48, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Simple Burglary. James was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Chaney, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau. This guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors in connection with a 2023 trespassing complaint. 

         On December 3, 2023, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a Gonzales residence in reference to a complaint of trepassing. The complainant told deputies that two suspicious subjects were on the property and tampering with a family member’s vehicle parked on the property. The complainant advised that the subjects left prior to deputies arrival in a welding truck. Deputies located the vehicle matching the description given by the complainant and conducted a traffic stop. Upon making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, deputies attempted to identify the driver who provided false information, however, was later identified as Stephen James. Deputies ran the VIN number on the truck and learned that the truck was reported stolen out of Vermillion Parish. The subjects were detained and placed in the rear of marked patrol cars pending further investigation. During a search of the stolen truck, deputies located quantities of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, personal items linked to the owner of the vehicle, and a handgun. Once deputies identified the driver of the vehicle as Stephen James, it was learned that James was in fact a convicted felon and also wanted by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office for Theft related charges. Stephen James was transported to the Ascension Parish Jail where he was booked accordingly. 

        Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charges, pursuant to the plea agreement with prosecutors, Stephen James was sentenced to 17 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.