Steele police find Louisianna escapee asleep in truck

Richard Laracuente

James was patrolling the North First Street Apartments on Friday, August 21, when he discovered the individual sleeping inside the truck with Louisiana registration, according to a police report. The report noted that James contacted Pemiscot County Communications and ran the license plate number through NCIC.

Pemiscot County Communications advised James that the vehicle was reported stolen from the State of Louisiana. At this point, James requested backup from Gentry.

The two officer proceeded to make contact with the driver of the vehicle and asked him to furnish identification, according to the report. The identification provided to the officers was not the suspects and James and Gentry quickly handcuffed the suspect without any incident.

The suspect was identified as Richard Laracuente, 47, of Oklahoma City, Okla. The officers were advised by Pemiscot County Communications that Laracuente was an escapee from Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Upon further investigation, officers discovered that Laracuente was also wanted in the State of Oregon for 1st Degree Burglary, 22 counts of 1st Degree Theft, and one count of 2nd Degree theft with a bond of $240,000. Laracuente was also wanted in Mexico for receiving a stolen firearm with a larceny bond of $50,000. In the State of Louisiana, Laracuente was wanted for Burglary and Theft of a Motor Vehicle with a bond of $50,000.

According to the report, officers discovered a stolen shotgun and two stolen rifles, along with numerous rounds of assorted ammunition, when searching the suspects vehicle. The suspect was also in possession of stolen identification cards and a stolen digital camera.

Laracuente was transported to the Pemiscot County Jail awaiting extradition back to the State of Louisiana.

The Steele Police Department contacted the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for the filing of possible federal charges against Laracuente.

Steele Police Chief, Billy Joe Stanfield, thanked Pemiscot County Communications Officers for their quick actions in helping to identify the suspect. He added that due to the communications officers professionalism the arrest went without incident or harm to officers in the field.