Three suspects arrested in Vermilion Parish for armed robbery

According to Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office PIO Eddie Langlinais, the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a complaint of an Armed Robbery which occurred on the night of April 16, 2021.
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Division developed information to secure felony warrants for Kenan Michael Willis, 18, Dequan Trevelle Turner, 18, and Latrell Dion Ashley, 18, all from Abbeville, LA.
According to the victim, the armed robbery was a result of the victim using social media in an attempt to trade a long gun for a different type of long gun, whereas the buyer communicated with the seller and arranged a time and place to meet for the “trade”. Allegedly, the result was the buyer (suspects) holding the seller at gunpoint and robbing the seller of the long gun.
With the assistance of the Abbeville Police Department, on the morning of April 18, the suspects were located within the city limits of Abbeville. The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Special Response Team, was called to assist along with the Abbeville Police Department and Vermilion Parish Sheriff Detectives in the apprehension of Willis, Turner and Ashley. All three were taken into custody without incident. Upon the arrest, a search was conducted where two firearms and suspected illegal narcotics were located.
All three have been booked into the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center on warrants for Armed Robbery. The investigation is still ongoing and additional charges are pending.
According to Langlinais, this type of robbery is a case in point of the potential dangers of using social media to sell or trade firearms that often requires meeting with people you do not know. Langlinais recommends the use of a registered firearms dealer to buy and sell firearms, thereby avoiding these dangers and staying SAFE.
Sheriff Mike Couvillon would like to extend his thanks to Chief Bill Spearman and the Abbeville Police Department for their assistance in the apprehension of the three suspects.