Arrest made in daytime, kick-in burglaries

According to Vermilion Parish Sheriff Michael Couvillon, on Jan. 19, the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office was called to investigate two separate daytime kick-in residential burglaries that had occurred in two areas of Vermilion Parish.
The Vermilion Parish Criminal Investigations Division continued the investigation and quickly learned that the two incidents were committed by the same subject(s).
Through further investigation detectives were able to identify Rashawn Sterling of Lafayette, as a suspect.
Detectives were able to obtain arrest warrants for Sterling.
With the assistance of the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sterling was located in the Maurice area in Lafayette Parish. LPSO attempted a traffic stop on Sterling, but Sterling fled from the stop at a high rate of speed. Due to the level of danger Sterling’s flight was causing, the pursuit of Sterling was called off in the interest of public safety.
Detectives were able to obtain a search warrant for Sterling’s residence and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office’s S.W.A.T. team assisted the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office in the execution of that search warrant.
During that search warrant, Sterling was located and successfully taken into custody without further incident. Multiple pieces of jewelry believed to belong to victim(s) were also located in the residence.
Sterling was arrested on charges stemming from the earlier vehicle pursuit as well as his active warrants.
Sterling was then released to the custody of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office and was transferred to the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center for booking on charges of Simple Burglary of an Inhabited Dwelling (2 counts).
Sterling’s total bond for the burglaries was set at $40,000.
The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible.
Sheriff Couvillon said he would like to thank the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance for this matter and others.