Wednesday, September 15, 1999

A routine traffic stop Thursday afternoon (Sept. 9) by a Caddo Parish Sheriff’s deputy working on the Highway Interdiction Task Force led to an investigation that has jailed a Eunice man who has used at least six names and is wanted in at least six jurisdictions for bank fraud.

Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Townley stopped an eastbound Ford Thunderbird at about 1 p.m. Thursday and found 19.7 grams of cocaine, 1.5 grams of methamphetamines and 16 grams of marijuana, all with a combined street value of about $3,800.

Townley arrested the driver, Devon Jones, 21, of Eunice, and passengers Crystal Michelle Taylor, 19, of West Monroe, and William Chandler, 17, of Monroe. Townley charged all three with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Townley also charged Jones with resisting an officer.

In booking the three at the Caddo Correctional Center, Deputy Rodney Spikes used the Automated Fingerprint Identification System to find Jones’ true identify as Robert Clinton Jones. White collar crime investigators were notified and obtained a search warrant for Jones’ car. That search produced documentary evidence related to bank frauds involving Jones in Lafayette, Shreveport, Bossier, Minden, Monroe and Pineville.

The search and follow-up investigation revealed that Jones has operated under at least four other names: Brian Matthews, Tony Stevens, Steven Clemons and Lance R. Richardson. A number of other charges were added to Jones’ growing list and the investigation is continuing in Louisiana and other states including Texas and Arkansas. Among the other charges are eight counts of bank fraud and eight counts of forgery in Lafayette Parish. There are also fugitive charges from other parishes.

While there is a $10,147 bond on Jones for fraud charges in Caddo Parish, he is being held in the parish jail without bond on the original drug charges and without bond on the fugitive charges from other parishes.

Taylor was released on Friday (Sept. 10) on a $10,187 bond. Chandler remains in the Caddo Correctional Center with a bond set at $35,187.

Anyone with information about possible illegal activity involving Jones is urged to contact the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-675-2170.