NPSO: Shreveport man wanted in Texas and Louisiana arrested
Suspect allegedly committed multiple jewelry heists
NATCHITOCHES PARISH, La. (KSLA) - The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO) has arrested a suspect who was wanted in connection to alleged jewelry store heists.
The Shreveport man, Lester Ray Moody, 39, was arrested in Natchitoches Parish by NPSO. Accordingly, Moody was wanted in connection to a robbery at Kay Jewelers in the Longview Mall in Longview, Texas.
On July 1, Moody and an unidentified woman allegedly walked up to the jewelry counter posing as customers and looking at jewelry. Moody then reportedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the employee. Moody and the female ran out of the store with an undisclosed amount of jewelry.
The Longview Police Department (LPD) was able to identify Moody from the surveillance video recovered during the investigation, his image was then released to the public mid-July.
The investigation eventually led to a Natchitoches pawnshop, where Moody possibly sold some of the stolen jewelry. Detectives with NPSO’s High Tech Crime Unit cooperated with LPD to confirm the jewelry was the same jewelry from the heist.
NPSO detectives obtained sufficient evidence and probable cause to secure criminal warrants for the arrest of Moody.
As the investigation continued it was discovered that Moody had been arrested before in Rapides Parish for a similar offense, was wanted for the armed robbery of a jewelry store in Richland Parish, and was a person of interest in a jewelry robbery in Morehouse Parish.
NPSO detectives continued to work with Texas and Louisiana law enforcement agencies to gather information about Moody.
On Wednesday, August 10 NPSO Detective Sgt. V. Kay was traveling on La. Hwy 1, when he observed Moody and an unidentified female at a local business. Sgt. Kay then requested back up and deputies initiated a traffic stop. Moody was arrested without incident and the female was released at the scene.
Moody was then booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center and was charged with one count of felony robbery in Longview, Texas, one count of armed robbery in Richland Parish, and two counts of theft by fraud in Natchitoches Parish.
Other charges are pending in Morehouse Parish.
The investigation is still ongoing.
If you have any information contact NPSO High Tech Crime Unit Detectives Michael Giannone or Sgt. Victor Kay at 318-357-7811.
Copyright 2022 KSLA. All rights reserved.