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A couple from Acadia Parish face multiple charges in connection with burglaries, according to Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson.
Gibson identified the suspects as Christopher Byerley, 38, of Broussard and April Viguerie, 37, of Erath. Both are charged with four counts of possession of stolen property, 11 counts of possession of firearms by convicted felons and one count of possession of a unregistered firearm, he stated in a news release.
Their bail has been set at $60,000.
Authorities with the Lafayette Sheriff’s Office and the University of Lafayette Police Department obtained information regarding stolen property being located on Tanner Road in Eastern Acadia Parish, Gibson stated.
“The investigation by Lafayette officials led them to the residence on Tanner Road. All items recovered have been identified to the respective victims,” Gibson stated.
Once on the scene, a stolen vehicle from Lafayette was observed on the property, he stated. Armed with a search warrant, law enforcement officials recovered multiple stolen items and arrested two suspects, he stated.
Stolen items recovered were: 2001 Chevrolet truck, Lafayette Sheriff’s Office; 2014 Yamaha motorcycle (Lafayette Sheriff’s Office;
2017 Yamaha dirt bike, Vermilion Sheriff’s Office; and a racing bicycle, Lafayette Police.
Eleven firearms were located during the search. With both suspects being convicted felons, all firearms were confiscated, he stated.

On the night of Aug. 17, the Abbeville Police Department in conjunction with Alcohol Tobacco Control and the Vermilion Parish Narcotics Task Force worked an undercover operation where minors purchased alcohol from local businesses and clubs within the city limits of Abbeville.
During the operation, many establishments were found in compliance with the laws and ordinances pertaining to alcohol sales.

The following businesses were cited for the following violations.

U-Pak-It: The business received a warning from ATC. The employee was cited for: Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to a Person under 21.

Circle K: The business received a warning from ATC. The employee was cited for: Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to a Person under 21.

The Concorde Club: The business was cited by ATC and the employees were cited for: 2 Counts of Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to a Person under 21.
In addition, individuals at the club were cited for Possession of Alcohol (Under 21) and Open Container (On Sidewalk)

Nunia's Lounge: The business received a warning by ATC. The employee was cited for: 2 Counts of Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to a Person under 21.
The bartender, Brittany Dartez was arrested on warrants for Failure to Appear in Court Dartez was also found in possession of Schedule Il Drugs (Methamphetamines) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Violation of Uniform Control Dangerous Substance. Dartez was booked into the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.

Chief of Police William Spearman said he would like to commend his officers and the agents with ATC and the Vermilion Parish Narcotics Task Force on their hard work and dedication. Chief Spearman said he vows to continue these types of operations within the city limits of Abbeville.

Miss Kaylie Lyyn Trahan and Mr. Kyle Mitchell Harrington, both of Kaplan, are pleased to announce their engagement and forthcoming wedding.
The wedding will take place on Saturday, September 22, 2108, at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kaplan.
The future bride is the daughter of Kelly Joseph Trahan and Donna Lynn LeBlanc Trahan of Abbeville. Her grandparents are Peggy Babineaux Trahan and Curney and Beverly LeBlanc of Abbeville.
Kaylie is a 2008 graduate of Kaplan High School and is employed by Ray Chevrolet of Abbeville.
The prospective groom is the son of Keith Hargrave and Kathy Harrington of Kaplan. His grandparents are Leo and Vernice Harrington and the late Ewill Paul Hargrave and Audrey Leonard Hargrave of Kaplan.
Kyle is a 2004 graduate of Kaplan High School and is employed with Kaptel.

World travelers will tell you that a trip can be a life-changing event.
That can even be true for trips that are not necessarily a world away.
Last month, eight students from Abbeville High School spent five days in Houston as part of an extension of Pathways to Success, the program that for the past few years has brought speakers and mentors into Vermilion Parish schools to work with students. Phillip McCoy, Deion Williams, Brianna Ritchie, Keyiada Wilson, Arielle Harrison, Sha’Niya Latson, Madison Ritchie and Namaya Levine attended the trip.
“It was a great experience for our students to reflect on their futures and gain some tools to help them achieve their goals,” Racheal Chapman, a family and consumer science teacher at AHS, who served as a chaperone, said of the trip.
Walter August Jr., an Abbeville native and pastor of the Church at Bethel’s Family in Houston, has been heavily involved and helped to organize the Pathways to Success program. August invited the eight Abbeville High students to attend his “High School Students Summit Retreat.” The eight students earned the invitation after August came to Abbeville High for a program at the end of last school year.
“The way they were able to qualify for this trip,” Chapman said, “was from the day that Pastor August was here in May. He told all the students at school that all they had to do was write a one-page essay of what they learned from the speakers and sessions, and what changes they were going to make in their lives to do better.”
August picked up the eight students at Abbeville High and headed to Houston. Once there, the students jumped right into the summit. Paired with students their age from the Houston area, the Abbeville students heard from various speakers and took part in goal-building activities and talked about plans for their futures. They toured the federal office building in downtown Houston, as well as NASA and a museum.
“It was about exposing them to different settings,” Chapman said.
In that regard, only a couple of the eight students had previously been that far away from Abbeville.
“It was great exposure,” Chapman said. “It was very eye-opening for these kids. They got a lot of great experience.”
That included aiding in the Church’s effort to help Houston’s less fortunate.
“They were involved in preparing food boxes for the homeless that were distributed from the church,” Chapman said. “They worked in the food pantry to assemble the boxes. They helped serve hot meals to people who could not afford meals. They got to be there for all of that. They got first-hand experience at serving those less fortunate.
“It was a really great experience for them to get their hands in there and serve the community and I think it really built their character a lot more.”
Chapman said after only a few days into the new school year, she can “absolutely” see a clear difference in the students.
“You can tell their confidence level was rising during the trip,” Chapman said. “As a teacher, I learned a lot. It helped me see things in different perspective to see these kids interact with each other. Things are so much more difficult for teenagers than it used to be. It helped me see how I can do my job better. Everybody won here.
“It was amazing.”
Deion Williams, a senior at AHS, feels that way after taking the trip.
“I have learned a lot at the summit,” Williams said, “but one major thing that stuck with me was, ‘Being a Leader.’ As I look around in my community, there’s not many young male leaders setting examples for the kids younger than them. One leader that pushes me to be a better person and a role model is my mom. She made too many sacrifices to get me where I am now. That’s why I’m willing to take this responsibility because this is the first step in making an impact in others’ lives to do better.”
Sophomore Phillip McCoy came back with more confidence.
“The trip really was a special thing for me,” McCoy said. “It helped me to learn that I really need to believe in everything I do. It helped me to focus on what was important and to set goals for myself which will push me to strive for excellence. The trip helped me to learn that you can have fun, just make sure you take care of your more important things first. My favorite part was helping to get all the donation items ready. Seeing everyone work together was an amazing experience.
“To all the speakers, chaperones, and Pastor August, who gave their time to allow us to have a life changing experience, I am extremely thankful for all of you.”
Chapman thanked the Vermilion Parish School Board for supporting these outside programs.
“We want to express our gratitude,” Chapman said, “to the School Board and our Principal (Lyndelle Theriot) for giving these kids a chance and letting these programs come in to help them grow.”