From the desk of the District AttorneyFebruary 2026

Please support our juvenile partner Volunteers for Youth Justice’s annual fundraiser, Gumbo Gladiators, this Saturday, March 7, in Festival Plaza in Shreveport from 12-4 p.m. It is $2 admission, and you can purchase tickets there to enjoy all kinds of gumbo to your heart’s desire. VYJ does tremendous work in our community and I personally thank them very much for their efforts.  

One of the most important aspects of VYJ is the work they do addressing truancy. I was presented with the outstanding news last week that truancy numbers in Caddo Parish this school year have gone down from 13 percent to 6 percent. Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley established a goal this school year for each district to lower its truancy numbers by 2 percent, so Caddo Parish is trending majorly in a great way. Major kudos are to be given to our new School Superintendent Keith Burton’s focus on truancy in collaboration with VYJ. Kudos as well to our Caddo Parish Juvenile Court’s truancy court and staff for their hard work and cooperation with my office in dealing with the issue.

With this happy news, I also want to  give you an update on The Harbor. The Harbor opened in 2023 as our one-stop resource in collaboration with VYJ and the Caddo Parish School Board, offering community resources to help children, parents and caregivers. It is located at 3004 Knight St., Building 6, Shreveport. The Harbor has been my longest, toughest, but proudest journey and legacy as your District Attorney, as we work together as a community to stop the roots of crime and get at-risk juveniles on the right path.

Last month, the Harbor announced the opening of its new Family Resource Center. This is a free resource sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to equip parents with parenting skills to better navigate the challenges of parenting. The new center also connect parents with community members as “Parenting Partners,” to promote parenting resiliency. They also will link grandparents and other non-parents who are raising children to available state subsidies.   

Please call The Harbor at (318) 725-HBOR or make a referral for yourself or someone else at vyjla.org They then will link you to whatever VYJ programming you need, such as mentoring programs, mental health services, uniform services, or their food pantry, for you and your children. 

I am also very pleased to tell you that our new anti-vaping program at The Harbor has been packed every Saturday, as vaping has become the favored drug mechanism of children. Every Saturday the Harbor has vape programs for parents and children from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The classes are $40. For those who cannot afford the $40, I arranged for local vape shop King Vaperz to pay the costs for those who cannot pay.  

Also, check the Caddo DA Facebook page and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Facebook page for free youth programs from Sheriff Whitehorn on topics such as guns, gangs and vaping. The next free event is March 14 from 9 a.m.– 1 p.m. on Conflict Resolution, at 1501 Corporate Drive, near Caddo Correctional Center. Snacks are provided. Call Vernita Williams at (318) 681-0869 to register. 

These efforts from our community are paying benefits. The numbers of juveniles committing crimes are down; the numbers of juveniles in the juvenile detention center are down; and the numbers of truant children are down. These are numbers I like! Again, please support VYJ Saturday at Gumbo Gladiators at Festival Plaza!!  

Our Caddo Parish courts were busy in the Mardi Gras month of February.  Here are some cases of note:

* A Shreveport man who pleaded guilty to beating and severely injuring his wife in late October was sentenced to the maximum term possible in Caddo District Court Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Kaltrai Andrew Dunbar Williams, 28, must serve eight years in prison for domestic abuse battery with serious bodily injury, District Judge Ramona Emanuel ordered. Judge Emanuel also ordered that Williams have no contact with the victim and barred him from possessing firearms.

On September 16, 2024, six-foot-eight-inches tall Williams attacked his wife when she arrived home from work, striking her with his fist and breaking several bones, including an orbital bone, nasal bones, a cheekbone and sinuses. However, the victim asked that the state not prosecute, despite suffering injuries that required surgery. Even without her cooperation, prosecutors moved forward using medical records, photographic and video evidence, and statements from a child eyewitness.

In many domestic violence cases, survivors are not in a position to advocate for themselves. When other evidence is available, some cases can go forward, even without the victim’s participation. This was one of those cases, and we are grateful we were able to reach a just outcome.

Williams was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Britney A. Green and Ron Christopher Stamps of our office's Special Victims Unit. He was defended by Alex Washington III.

The case was docket No. 404144.

* A Shreveport man who strangled a domestic partner in April 2025 pleaded guilty February 4 and was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law, three years.

James Culotta, 56, pleaded guilty-as-charged to the charge of domestic abuse with strangulation before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr., who sentenced Culotta.

On April 8, 2025, Culotta attacked his longtime domestic partner, during which he strangled her. He was arrested about a week later. However, throughout the course of the case the victim refused to cooperate with the District Attorney’s office in the prosecution. Culotta contacted his victim several times from jail encouraging her to not cooperate, in one conversation suggesting she lie in court, in the belief this would prevent prosecution. Culotta filed a speedy trial motion in an attempt to secure his release from jail.

However, I reassigned the case to a member of our Special Victims Unit. At a hearing January 30, we set the case for trial February 23 and informed Culotta the case would proceed with or without the victim's cooperation, forcing his hand and his decision to plead.

Culotta was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Bowman. Hilary Hileman defended Culotta. The case was docket No. 408045.

* Unusually, the Caddo Grand Jury issued two separate slates of indictments in sessions that ended February 24 and February 10. 

In the session that ended February 24, it indicted three Shreveport men, all 18 years old, in connection with a high-profile double slaying that occurred on the Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway late last year.

Separate indictments charge Joshua Darnyell Thomas, Travelia Tramell Loston and Denis Demon Scott each with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Frederick Kiprono and Tatum Ashley and with the attempted second-degree murder of Isaiah Marshall on November 19, 2025.

Mr. Kiprono, 43, a Lyft driver, and his passengers, Mr. Ashley and Mr. Marshall, were shot as they drove north on the Parkway just past East Preston Avenue. Kiprono and Ashley, 18, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Defendant Loston, while 18 now, was 17 years old at the time of the shootings.

Thomas is charged in docket No. 413387. Loston is charged in docket No. 413377. Scott is charged in docket No. 413461. All are in custody at Caddo Correctional Center.

On February 10, the Grand Jury returned two indictments against a man accused of slaying a Caddo Parish law enforcement officer last year.

Vivian man Nicholas Edward Alexander, 58, stands charged with first-degree murder in connection with the November 14, 2025 slaying of Marc Tyler Brock, who was shot while he took part in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant against Alexander. Caddo Sheriff's reports state that when officers arrived at a residence in the 1700 block of North Pine Street in Vivian to serve the warrant, multiple shots were fired through the closed door. Officer Brock, 25, was transported to North Caddo Medical Center, where he later died.

Alexander also was indicted on three misdemeanor charges of cyberstalking, alleging that on or about November 10, he used electronic mail or other electronic communications to threaten, harass or terrify three separate individuals. 

Alexander remains in custody at Caddo Correctional Center, with no bond set.

* A Shreveport man with a history of sex offenses, convicted January 13, will serve 20 years in prison for failure to register as a sex offender.

District Judge Chris Victory sentenced Robert Emmett Huen, 74, February 24, to the maximum term, to be served at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. 

Originally convicted of simple rape on October 10, 1989, Huen is a tier 3 sex offender required by law to check-in in-person with the sheriff’s office in his parish of residence every 14 days. His last 14-day check-in was on January 10, 2024. His last quarterly check-in was on November 7, 2023. This was the second time Huen has failed to properly register as a sex offender, having previously been convicted of failure to register as a sex offender on February 23, 2023.

Huen was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sean Fore and Courtney N. Ray. He was defended by Michael Enright and Katie Miller.

The case was docket No. 404466.

* A Shreveport man arrested after he pointed a weapon at a police drone during a warrant execution in July 2025 pleaded guilty February 26. 

After a jury was selected and officer testimony began in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.'s court, Eutravious Houston, 33, withdrew his former plea of not guilty and entered of plea of guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. No plea agreement was made between the District Attorney’s office and Houston, with sentencing being left to the court. He will return for sentencing March 10, where he faces at least five and up to 20 years in prison at hard labor.

On July 30, 2025, Shreveport police, along with the U.S. Marshals' Violent Offender Task Force, were executing arrest warrants in the 1500 block of Belwood Street in the Caddo Heights neighborhood. While looking for another individual suspected to be inside a residence, officers were told that Houston was inside and refusing to come out. After obtaining consent from the homeowner, a drone operated by officers with the Street Level Interdiction Unit flew into the house where Houston was observed pointing a Glock handgun directly at it. Officers ran Houston's name and discovered that he had been convicted of Illegal Use of Weapons in 2021, prohibiting him from possessing a firearm. 

Assistant District Attorneys Chase Burgess and Christopher S. Bowman prosecuted Houston. He was represented by the Caddo Indigent Defenders office. 

The case was docket No. 410419.

* A Shreveport man convicted February 11 of rape and other sex crimes was sentenced in Caddo District Court February 25.

District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. sentenced Dustin Gene Pedicini, 38, to life in prison without parole, probation or suspension of sentence for first-degree rape of a female family member. He also was sentenced to 25 years without parole, probation or suspension of sentence for indecent behavior with a juvenile, 10 Years at hard labor for pornography involving a juvenile and 20 years at hard labor for molestation of a juvenile. All the sentences are to be served consecutively. 

The evening of October 30, 2024, Caddo deputies responded to a report of a sexual assault in the Southern Hills neighborhood. The complainant had found pictures and movies of child pornography involving her juvenile daughter on a male relative's phone. The victim was taken for a forensic interview at the Gingerbread house and provided a detailed statement. Pedicini, the defendant, was questioned and admitted he was the man in the pictures and videos, but claimed not to remember anything about them. His phone was seized and analyzed forensically and was determined to contain numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse.

Pedicini was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ross Owen and Treneisha Hill. The Caddo Parish Public Defender's office represented Pedicini. 

The case was docket No. 404948.

* Shreveport siblings convicted earlier this month for killing a local man in 2023 were sentenced to mandatory life terms in prison February 26 in Caddo District Court.

Roderick Dewayne Smith Jr., 21, and Ramarion Jarick Smith, 20, both were sentenced by District Judge Chris Victory. Roderick Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the second-degree murder of Jamani Dervon Johnson Jr., 21. Mr. Johnson was shot six times in the back outside his dwelling at the Jolie Apartments in the 1000 block of Quail Creek Road June 19, 2023. 

Ramarion Smith also was sentenced to life imprisonment without benefit of probation or suspension to the charge of second-degree murder; but since he was 17 years old at the time of the murder, he will be eligible at some point for parole.

The Smiths were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Victoria Washington. Roderick Smith Jr. was defended by Michael Enright. Ramarion Smith was defended by Richard "T-Dale" Wolbert. The case was docket No. 404948.

* An Alabama man who forced sex acts on a tender-age female victim in Caddo Parish more than a decade ago pleaded guilty in Caddo District Court to forcible rape February 25.

Tarance LaMichael English, 42, now of Deatsville, Ala., pleaded just after the victim, who was from 7 to 12 years old during the course of the attacks that took place from 2010 to 2015, finished testifying before the 10 women and two male jurors in District Judge Ramona Emanuel's court. After he pleaded guilty, Judge Emanuel sentenced him to 20 years in prison at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. He also has to register as a sex offender for life. There also is a 50-year protective order in favor of the victim.

Between January of 2010 and January 2015, English forced the victim to have sexual intercourse. The assaults occurred in Caddo Parish but were later reported in Alabama. Testimony was given by the victim and a forensic interviewer from Alabama.  

Assistant District Attorneys Senae D. Hall and Fernando Grider Jr. prosecuted English. He was defended by Royal Alexander and Dave Knadler. The case was docket No. 389832.

* A Bossier City man who crashed his motorcycle in southwest Shreveport almost four years ago, killing his passenger wife, was convicted of vehicular homicide February 25. 

The three-man, three-woman jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.'s court deliberated 45 minutes before returning its unanimous guilty-as-charged verdict against Steven Rubey, 61. The state called eight witnesses and the defense called none before the jury retired to deliberate, returning its verdict just before 4 p.m.

On July 29, 2022, Shreveport police and fire personnel responded to a single-vehicle motor vehicle wreck in the 7100 block of West 70th Street. Paramedics found Tammy Lynn Rubey, 52, lying in the roadway. They were not able resuscitate her and she was pronounced dead minutes after arriving at the hospital. The forensic pathologist testified all of her ribs were broken and her heart and lungs were lacerated.  Steven Rubey, the driver of the motorcycle, survived and was transported to the hospital where a forensic blood draw was performed. His blood alcohol level was 0.13, significantly higher than the  legal limit of 0.08.

Photographs of the crash site were introduced into evidence, demonstrating that the road was dry and free of any defects or debris at the time of the crash. The jury determined that Mr. Rubey's blood alcohol concentration was a contributing factor in the crash and death of his wife. 

When Rubey returns for sentencing on March 4, he faces a prison term of at least five and up to 30 years at hard labor.

Assistant District Attorneys Michael Anderson and Jason Waltman prosecuted the case. Attorneys with the Caddo Public Defenders' office represented Rubey. The case was docket No. 395909.

* A Caddo Parish jury February 24 convicted Jamaria Wanya Cornelious, 30, of unlawfully possessing a firearm and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

The unanimous five-woman, seven-man jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.'s court returned its guilty-as-charged verdicts after deliberating less than 30 minutes. Prosecutors called four witnesses before resting. The defense called a single witness in its case, and the jury reached its verdict by 4 p.m.

On October 8, 2024, Shreveport police responded to a suspicious person call at the Sonic restaurant in the 7100 block of Mansfield Road.  Defendant Cornelious was attempting to drive away from the scene when the officer arrived and blocked his way out of the parking lot. When the officer asked Cornelious to step out of his vehicle, he abruptly put the car in reverse and fled to the rear of the parking lot.  As the officer attempted to approach a second time, Cornelious fled back to the front of the parking lot where he attempted to escape, but a collision ensued that stopped the vehicle. Cornelious was handcuffed and taken into custody.

When officers searched the car, which was reported as stolen, they found a Glock handgun hidden underneath the front passenger seat. Based on Cornelious's own admissions, prosecutors were able to establish that he knew about the weapon and possessed it. Prosecutors showed that Cornelious had been convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile in 2015 and illegal use of a weapon in 2014, crimes that precluded him from legally possessing a firearm.

In addition to the prior convictions listed, Cornelious has a conviction for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2020 in Bossier Parish. When Cornelious returns for sentencing March 10, prosecutors will request to have him sentenced under the Louisiana Habitual Offender Statute. Under that law, he faces a prison sentence of at least six and two-thirds years and up to 40 years, served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on the firearms conviction, and at least 20 years up to life in prison for the unauthorized use conviction.

Assistant District Attorneys Christopher S. Bowman and Jason Waltman prosecuted Cornelious. He was defended by David Shepherd. The case was docket No. 404576.

* A Shreveport man convicted of simple robbery last year was sentenced in Caddo District Court February 20 to serve a decade in prison as a habitual offender.

Arnold Ballard Jr., 49, was convicted October 14, 2025 in District Judge Donald Hathaway Jr.'s court by a six-person jury, which found him guilty of robbing a man outside a Shreveport center serving the homeless.

Under Louisiana law, simple robbery carries a sentence of up to seven years. However, the District Attorney’s office filed a habitual offender bill seeking to have the defendant sentenced as a second-time felony offender. In addition to the immediate conviction, prosecutors alleged that Ballard previously had been convicted of simple robbery in 2023. As a second-time felony offender, he could be sentenced for at least four and two-thirds years and up to 14 years.

Ballard pleaded guilty to the habitual offender bill and agreed to waive his rights to appeal and post-conviction relief. In return, the state agreed to the 10-year sentence, which was handed down by Judge Hathaway. 

Ballard was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Christopher S. Bowman and Ashlin Thomas. Carlos Prudhomme defended Ballard. The case was docket No. 397829.

At your service,

James E. Stewart Sr.

Caddo Parish District Attorney