Forgery, felony theft and injuring public records among charges related to August transaction
Agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries arrested two Louisiana men on Nov. 14 for allegedly falsifying a boat sale, according to a press release.
Tyler J. Chenevert, 19, of Pierre Part and Lawrence J. Toups Jr., 48, of Berwick, were arrested for injuring public records. Chenevert also was charged with forgery and felony theft, and Toups Jr. was charged with filing false public documents.
Chenevert was booked into the St. Mary Parish Jail and Toups Jr. was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail, the release states.
According to the arrest warrant, Chenevert is accused of forging his deceased grandfather’s signature on a bill of sale in which he claimed to be the rightful owner of a boat he sold to Toups Jr. on Aug. 19.
The release states that Toups Jr. admitted to agents that he knew Chenevert had forged the signature on the bill of sale, and the two completed the transaction for $1,800. With the sale, Chenevert is accused of committing theft against his grandfather’s heirs to the vessel.
Toups Jr. filed the forged bill of sale when attempting to register the vessel in his name on Aug. 30, which resulted in filing a false public document. According to the release, on the boat registration application, Toups Jr. also said he purchased the boat from the deceased grandfather, which didn’t match the forged bill of sale.
Injuring public records and filing false public documents each carry up to a $5,000 fine and five years in jail for each offense. Forgery brings up to a $5,000 fine and 10 years in jail, and felony theft carries up to a $3,000 fine and 10 years in jail, the release states.
