COVINGTON, La. — Busy week for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office on Thursday. The STPSO Financial Crimes Unit wrapped up a year-long investigation by obtaining warrants for the arrest of a Lacombe woman on numerous bank fraud charges.
Shania Dawn Obannon, 47, is wanted on warrants for 21 counts of L.R.S 14:71.1 Bank Fraud; one count of L.R.S. 14:67.B.3 Theft Between $1,000 and $5,000 and 14 counts of L.R.S. 14:67.B.4 Theft Under $1,000. She is currently incarcerated in Orleans Parish Prison on similar charges.
Upon her release from Orleans Parish Prison, Obannon will be extradited to St. Tammany Parish Prison.
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith releases the 2020 crime statistics
The agency continues to report a clearance rate of nearly twice the national average for violent crimes and more than two and half times the national average for non-violent crimes, reinforcing Smith’s promise to hold criminals accountable for crimes committed in St. Tammany.
“I am extremely pleased with the hard work and dedication of all of our employees who have contributed to another year of successful crime fighting,”said Smith. “This is a testament to the agency as a whole’s determination to keep St. Tammany Parish safe and hold criminals accountable for their actions.”
The agency has seen a decrease in non-violent crimes. The Sheriff said is in large part to the success of the agency’s many social media’s campaigns focused on educating the public on the need to lock their vehicle doors and secure their valuables.
“Keeping crime rates down is a partnership between law enforcement and the community we serve,” said Smith. “We are blessed to live and serve in an area that respects, appreciates and works with law enforcement.”
While the reported violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery, assault and battery, saw a slight increase in 2020 over 2019 in unincorporated St. Tammany, Smith said this is part of a national trend partially attributed to Covid-19, which led to an increase in domestic violence and narcotics-related crimes.
The Sheriff asks that anyone with information about crimes occurring in our parish, to submit a tip through the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office website (www.STPSO.com), by calling the narcotics tip line (1-888-GO-2-JAIL), or by calling Crimestoppers.
You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward through Crimestoppers.
