Arrests made in heavy equipment and trailer thefts

On Wednesday July 12, 2017 Gonzales detectives received reports from the construction site located at LA 44 and West Edenborne Parkway that two heavy duty flatbed trailers and a Caterpillar Skid Steer (total value of 83K worth of equipment) was stolen from the job site during the nighttime hours of Tuesday July 11, 2017.

Gonzales Detectives learned from Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office that during the late night hours of July 11 that one of the flat bed trailers which had been stolen from the job site was recovered on George Rouyea Road by deputies after the trailer, loaded with another stolen piece of heavy equipment from a different construction site was found abandoned and disabled in the middle of the road.

Investigators working with Ascension Parish Sheriff located the 2nd stolen trailer loaded with the caterpillar skid steer in a remote part of the parish abandoned on Bowden Road in Darrow. Video surveillance was discovered from several different construction sites in the area of the thefts and recoveries, which developed two suspect vehicles; identified as belonging to Adrian Jade Waguespack of Baton Rouge and Sonny Porter of Livingston Parish.

Investigators learned from interviews conducted, Sonny Porter had loaned his vehicle, a red F-250, to a

subject by the name of Aaron Ballard of Denham Springs. Ballard during his interview implicated Adrian Jade Waguespack in the heavy equipment thefts.

All parties associated with the thefts from the Gonzales Construction sites have been arrested and the

equipment returned to the owners. As a result of this investigation:

Adrian Jade Waguespack, 31, 4795 Idlewood Drive, Baton Rouge has been arrested and charged with 1 count of Felony theft in excess of 25K, and 1 count of Felony theft over 5K but less than 25K.

Aaron Charles Ballard 38, 13243 Alysha Drive, Denham Springs has been arrested and charged with 1 count of Felony Theft in excess of 25K, and 1 count of Felony theft over 5K but less than 25K.

Both parties have been booked into the Ascension Parish prison and are awaiting bond consideration.

Contributed Report