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NEWS
Arrests Made in Co-Op Theft
August 21, 2012
Baton Rouge, LA (August 21, 2012) – The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office have arrested seven people in connection with organized retail theft.
Authorities estimate the thefts amounted to approximately $150,000. Three of the people arrested were employees of the Kentwood Co-Op, one was a relative of one of the employees and the rest were individuals who were allegedly buying stolen merchandise from the employees.
LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said, “When a co-op is not making money because of theft, those losses are put back on the farmer in the form of higher prices. It’s not fair to our hardworking farmers.”
Missing items included: horse feed, cattle feed, dog food, shelled corn, alfalfa bales and cubes, chicken feed, protein tubs, bagged minerals, mineral blocks, salt blocks, dewormer blocks, iron clay pea seeds, sorghum seed, milk replacer, herbicides and a 16 foot galvanized gate. The arrests occurred between Aug.13-17.
The employees suspected and charged with one count of organized retail theft and simple burglary are Oscar Joey Sharp of Kentwood and Michael Stewart of Fluker. Employee Fredrick Shropshire of Magnolia, MS is charged with organized retail theft and principal to simple burglary. Amos Floyd Womack III of Kentwood, Darrell Sanders Jones of Kentwood, Robert N. Hutchinson, Jr. of Tangipahoa and Michael Samuel Trabona of Amite are charged with organized retail theft.
The investigation is ongoing and authorities say more arrests could be made.
If convicted of stealing what amounts to a value less than $500, a person shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than two years, or may be fined not more than $2000, or both. If convicted of stealing what amounts to a value more than $500, a person shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than 10 years, or may be fined not more than $10,000, or both.
The Kentwood Co-Op is a farmer owned co-op that supplies farming and ranching feed and supplies.
The Livestock Brand Commission employees are commissioned law enforcement officers with statewide jurisdiction and have a primary responsibility to investigate any farm related crime as well as livestock theft.
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