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Lewis Giles Jr., a 51-year-old resident of LaPlace, was arrested on January 13, 2024, in connection with a financial crimes investigation led by the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The current case continues a prior financial crimes investigation involving Giles, which has brought nearly 200 charges of false public filings against him. Giles identifies himself as a sovereign citizen.

Legal scrutiny of Giles commenced in April 2023, following a burglary complaint related to false public documents filed with the St. John Parish Clerk of Court’s Office. Detectives focused on allegations of falsified and forged land deeds, claiming ownership or possession of properties and residences in St. John the Baptist Parish not legitimately owned by Giles Jr. His alleged use of mail and falsified public filings aimed to unlawfully deprive registered owners of their properties.

On June 14, 2023, law enforcement received reports from another government agency and a local Justice of the Peace concerning possible fraud committed by Giles against an unoccupied residence in St. John the Baptist Parish. Investigators discovered that Giles Jr. had reported a public notice in a local newspaper, signaling his attempt to assert property ownership.

The false public filings mirrored a previous scheme for which Giles had been arrested, employing identical tactics and methods.

After the investigation, SWAT officers and detectives apprehended Giles on June 15, 2023, and he posted bond on the same day. However, since his arrest in June, Giles has failed to appear in court to answer the financial crime charges.

Warrants for contempt of court have been issued against Giles since June 2023.

After further inquiry, detectives secured a judicial warrant for additional charges, including nine counts of filing a false complaint against a law enforcement officer (misdemeanor), nine counts of injuring public records (felony), nine counts of false swearing (misdemeanor), and nine counts of filing or maintaining false public records (felony). Currently in custody, Giles faces a bond set at $361,728.

Giles Jr. has a history of legal issues dating back to 2003, with six prior arrests encompassing charges such as domestic abuse battery, simple battery, molestation of a juvenile, simple assault, no driver’s license, resisting an officer, contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, and most recently, for simple burglary, filing or maintaining false public records (33 counts), injuring public records (33 counts), and forgery (33).