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During the week of August 8 – August 12, 2022, the following defendants pled guilty to various charges and were sentenced in the 23^rd Judicial District Court, parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James.

 

Ascension Parish:

 

1. Trevon Lawrence, 209 Pierre St. Plattenville, LA, age 26, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

 

2. Christopher Westley, 1218 Bryan St. Donaldsonville, LA, age 40, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

 

3. Matthew Buck, LA, age 34, pled guilty to Theft Valued Over $1,000, but Less than $5,000 (2 counts). The defendant was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

 

4. Sean Czwakiel, 10170 Lake Park Ave Gonzales, LA, age 34, pled guilty to First Degree Rape and was sentenced to life in prison without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

 

5. Zachary Henry, 722 St. Vincent St. Donaldsonville, LA, age 36, pled guilty to Bank Fraud (3 counts) and was sentenced to 18 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served to be served on home incarceration.

 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Leila Braswell and Maeghen Kling. Presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets.

 

 

6. Cedric Emerson, 6345 Hwy 73 Geismar, LA, age 39, pled guilty to Manslaughter. Sentencing was deferred to a later date pending a Pre-Sentence Investigation.

 

7. Brandon Breaux, 14057 Mark St. Gonzales, LA, age 42, pled guilty to Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

 

8. Nicholas Mitchell, 13190 Deepen St. Gonzales, LA, age 35, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Distribution of a Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance and was sentenced to 3 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 Phil Maples, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Cody Martin.

 

Assumption Parish:

 

1. Resmond Smith Jr., 315 Pelican St. Labadieville, LA, age 21, pled guilty to Illegal Use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities 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. Leonard Johnson, 300 Barcelona Dr. Donaldsonville, LA, age 58, pled guilty to DWI 3^rd Offense, No Driver’s License on Person, Possession of Alcoholic Beverages in a Motor Vehicle, and Speeding. Sentencing was deferred to a later date pending a Pre-Sentence Investigation.

 

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Chaney, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg.

 

St. James Parish:

 

1. Christian Lanier, 17097 Elm Alley Prairieville, LA, age 37, pled guilty to Resisting an Officer with Force or Violence and Battery of a Correctional Facility Employee. The defendant was sentenced to 4 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

 

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau.

 

Submitted by Public Information Officer Tyler Cavalier for 23^rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky L. Babin.