News
Find here an archive of the D.A.’s Press Releases and other News.
Two Men Sentenced to Mandatory Life Imprisonment in 2021 Bogalusa “Instagram Rap Beef” Murder
District Attorney J. Collin Sims reports that on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Tauj Taplin, 24, of Amite, Louisiana, and Quardaviaon White, 24, of McComb, Mississippi, were each sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of...
Serial Bank Robber Finally Halted: Byron Watson Convicted in St. Tammany Parish
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on October 13, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish jury found 37-year-old Byron Jamal Watson, of New Orleans, Louisiana, guilty as charged of simple robbery following a trial before the Honorable Judge Scott Gardner. Assistant...
Slidell Man Convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Attempted Second-Degree Murder, and Attempted Armed Robbery in Fatal Ambush Shooting
District Attorney J. Collin Sims reports that on Friday, October 9, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish jury found 22-year-old Deanthony Ashawn Williams of Slidell, Louisiana, guilty as charged on all counts in connection with a November 2022 fatal ambush shooting. The...
Slidell Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Workplace Sexual Battery
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that today, Honorable Judge Tara Farris Zeller sentenced Kaelan Jackson, 25, of Slidell, Louisiana, to 10 years in prison, the maximum penalty allowed by law, following his felony Sexual Battery conviction by a St. Tammany...
Convicted Felon Brandon Williams Apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Lake Charles
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that Brandon Justin Lee Williams, 38, of New Orleans, who was convicted last month of multiple violent offenses and subsequently fled justice, has been apprehended. Today, October 6, 2026, members of the United States...
Two Men Convicted of Second-Degree Murder in 2021 Bogalusa Shooting Over “Instagram Rap Beef”
District Attorney J. Collin Sims reports that on Friday, October 2, 2026, a Washington Parish jury found Tauj Taplin, 24, of Amite, Louisiana, and Quardaviaon White, 24, from McComb, Mississippi, guilty as charged of Second Degree Murder. The jury returned guilty...
St. Tammany Parish Jury Finds New Orleans Man Guilty of Rape and Domestic Abuse; Convicted Felon Remains at Large
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on September 23, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish jury found Brandon Justin Lee Williams, 38, of New Orleans, guilty on all counts following a trial before the Honorable Judge Tara Farris Zeller. Williams was convicted of:...
Slidell Man Convicted of Attempted Armed Robbery Following Incident at Local Restaurant
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on Thursday, September 17, 2026, a St. Tammany Parish jury found 43-year-old Robert Chase Revere of Slidell, Louisiana, guilty as charged of attempted armed robbery. The guilty verdict was returned following a trial...
DA Collin Sims Announces Significant Local Multi-Agency Operation Striking Bogalusa Drug Distribution Network Linked to Overdose Fatalities
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announced that on Thursday, September 17, 2026, a synchronized, multi-agency operation in Bogalusa led to the execution of four search warrants and six arrest warrants targeting a major drug distribution network linked to lethal...
Jury Selection Cut Short as Abita Springs Man Accepts 50-Year Prison Term for Child Sexual Abuse and Drug Trafficking Cases
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on the second day of jury selection, 31-year-old Allen Edward Tate, Jr. of Abita Springs, Louisiana, abruptly pleaded guilty before the Honorable Judge Vincent J. Lobello. After his guilty plea, Judge Lobello sentenced...