LAKE CHARLES, La. — Orange Police officers arrested a man Friday morning in connection with the theft of two ATM machines and about $150,000 by a group Louisiana Police say are a part of a Texas motorcycle gang.
Faith Breaux, 27, of Beaumont, was also arrested in connection with the thefts.
Joshua Leroy Fontenot was arrested by Orange Police officers during a traffic stop early Friday morning according to a news release from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Fontenot, 44, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was the last of six men and a Beaumont woman arrested in connection with the theft of the ATM machines from banks in Westlake, Louisiana in early July and early August 2019.
Faith Breaux, 27, of Beaumont, was arrested along with Brandon Hightower, 33, of Humble, Hosea Owens IV, 28, of Alvin, Christopher Scott, 44, of Lake Jackson and James Hicks, 33, of Huffman, on September 23 by Calcasieu Parish deputies along with Texas and federal agencies.
Agencies involved included the Houston Police Department, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Office, ATF, FBI-Beaumont Branch, Beaumont Police Department, Port Arthur Police Department, Beaumont Fire & Medical, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Officer of Inspector General, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Texas DPS.
Melvin Cupp, 46, of Spring, turned himself in on Wednesday.
Calcasieu Parish Deputies say all seven are members of the Brother East, or B*EAST, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
Early on the morning of July 13, 2019, Calcasieu Parish deputies were dispatched to Westlake, Louisiana bank off Sampson Street for an alarm call.
Once they arrived they learned that an ATM machine had been stolen from outside the bank using a stolen forklift which was left at the scene according to the news release.
Detectives later recovered the ATM in the bed of a stolen pickup truck near State and Sheridan Streets in Lake Charles.
The suspects had stolen the forklift from a business across the street from the bank hours before stealing the ATM the release said.
Early on August 3, 2019 detectives believe the same group stole another ATM from a bank on Sampson Street in Westlake.
Deputies arrived on the scene and discovered the ATM missing and found a stolen trailer along with a stolen forklift.
They later learned the trailer along with a truck had been stolen from a business along Highway 90 in Lake Charles the night before. They say the forklift had been stolen around the same time from another Lake Charles business on Candice Lane.
Deputies found the stolen truck and the ATM on fire along Bayou D’Inde Pass in Sulphur later the day of the ATM theft.
All seven suspects are charged with the following…
- Theft of a motor vehicle over $25,000
- Theft of a motor vehicle $5,000 to $25,000
- Two counts of simple criminal damage to property $1,000 to $25,000
- Theft less than $5,000 over $1,000
- Two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
- Obstruction of justice
- Simple arson
- Three counts of criminal trespassing
- Four counts of unauthorized entry of a place of business
- Four counts of theft over $25,000
- Four counts of simple criminal damage to property
- Unauthorized entry of a critical infrastructure
- Racketeering
Breaux’s bond has been set at $263,000 and the six men’s bond have been set at $600,000 the release said.
