Department of Agriculture and Forestry, State of Louisiana - Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said LDAF forestry enforcement investigators arrested a Livingston Parish logger accused of failing to pay a landowner for harvested timber.

Alison R. Suggs, Jr., 43, 7450 Latimer Drive, Denham Springs was arrested June 3 and booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center for allegedly failing to remit payment to the landowner.

Strain said Suggs allegedly agreed to cut the landowner’s 45-acre tract of timber located near Juban Road and I-12 and compensate the owner within one month of the start of the job. The timber was valued at more than $18,000.

State law requires a logger to remit payment to landowners within 30 days of receiving payment for the timber unless there is a stipulation in a contract stating otherwise.

Strain urged the public to report any suspected timber theft to the LDAF’s Baton Rouge headquarters at 225-925-4500.

“Timber theft is a serious crime and will be investigated fully by my office,” Strain said.

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