The two men who led police on a high speed chase Sunday afternoon that started in Vermilion Parish and ended along Kaliste Saloom Road in Lafayette, were indicted two years ago as known members of the Gremlins gang.
On the December 17, 2015, Kavan Broussard and Gene Williams III were arrested on warrants obtained by State Police following a lengthy multi-agency investigation into criminal activity near the City of Abbeville.
When State Police Investigators discovered the presence of organized gang activities by the Gremlins gang, a further investigation revealed that the criminal enterprise operated not only in the City of Abbeville, but throughout four parishes in South Central Louisiana.
These associates of the Gremlins gang are suspected of engaging in numerous narcotics and violent crimes including homicide, intimidation of witnesses, and widespread distribution of narcotics, LSP wrote in a release.
Over an approximate year period, Louisiana State Police, in conjunction with the Abbeville Police Department, Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Department, Vermilion Narcotics Task Force, Vermilion Homicide Task Force, Abbeville City Marshal’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Carencro Police Department, St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Kaplan Police, collected evidence and intelligence related to the criminal gang activities.
As a result of the collaborative investigation, a Vermilion Parish Grand Jury returned true bill indictments for seventeen known members of the Gremlins gang in addition to the Limited Liability Corporation operating as TOP Auto Rental and Sales.
The indictments included charges of Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, and Engaging in a Criminal Street Gang which can carry up to 50 years in prison if convicted.
1. Kavan Broussard
2. Gene Williams III
3. Nakia Zenon
4. Wesley Laviolette
5. Gregory Bessard
6. Roland Bernard
7. Andrew Granger
8. Stephen Walker
9. Kendall Breaux
10. Xavier Dyson
11. Aaron Carter
12. Darren Carter
13. Travis Cooper
14. Cody Guidry
15. Jerran Diggs
16. Kirkland Demouchet
17. Jonathan Landry
Charges:
R.S. 15:1353(A)(B)(C) – Racketeering
R.S. 15:1353 (D) – Conspiracy to commit Racketeering
R.S. 15:1403 – Criminal Street Gang Violation
