Pair eludes agents by walking through marsh for 14 hours and swimming across Sabine River, but surrender next day
Two Orange, Texas men were arrested last week and cited for crab theft and other fishing violations in connection with an incident on Bayou Black in Cameron Parish, according to a press release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Agents arrested Jireh A. Slaughter, 21, and Tevvin T. Jones, 20, for theft of crabs, taking commercial fish without a license, without a gear license and without a vessel license, interstate commerce regulations and resisting an officer by flight, the release states.
On Sept. 19, a commercial fisherman was observing his own crab traps and saw two men stealing crabs from them, the release states. He contacted a game warden, but was observed by the suspects before agents could arrive.
According to the release, Slaughter and Jones abandoned their vessel and dumped the harvested crabs in the marsh, then the two men hid nearby. Agents obtained the suspects’ names from an overdue boater report from the Orange County Texas Sheriff’s Office.
A 14-hour air and land search ensued, but LDWF agents eventually received a phone call from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office saying the two suspects had arrived back at their residence in Texas.
The two men apparently walked through the marsh for 14 hours and then swam across the Sabine River to make it back home, the release states.
Slaughter and Jones surrendered to LDWF agents in Lake Charles on Sept. 20, and were arrested and booked into the Cameron Parish Jail.
Theft of crabs brings a $400-$950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Taking commercial fish without a license, without a gear license and without a vessel license each carry a $250-$500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Violating interstate commerce regulations brings a $900-$950 fine and up to 120 days in jail, while resisting an officer by flight carries up to a $500 fine and up to six months in jail.
