THE “BENTLEY BANDITS” ARE BOUND

The following case is an excerpt from the U.S. Marshals website:

“Lake Charles, LA – Twenty-two year old Justin William Durbin was arrested on Trousdale Road in Sulphur after at least two high-speed chases and a multi-jurisdictional manhunt. Durbin was Wanted by the following agencies: Pima County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona (2010), Baton Rouge PD (3/2011), Mt. Pleasant PD / South Carolina (4/2011), Collier County Sheriff’s Office / Naples, Florida (7/2011), Lafayette PD (2010), Virginia Beach PD (6/2011), Escambia County Sheriff’s Office / Pensacola, Florida (6/2011), Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office / Noblesville, Indiana (6/2011), and Prince Georges County Sheriff’s Office / Maryland (5/2011). The charges range from Probation Violation, Grand Theft Auto, Larceny, Burglary, and Fraud.

Late last night (7/13) Louisiana State Police (LSP) in Lafayette (Troop I) received information from authorities in Florida that Durbin was in the Lafayette area. LSP contacted the US Marshals Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF) and the two agencies worked together to locate Durbin. The information from Florida suggested Durbin was driving a stolen 2007 Bentley, GT Continental. Last night LSP located the car, but Durbin was able to get away. This morning, LSP and VOTF joined forces again; this time LSP brought additional resources to include their helicopter. Throughout the day information was processed, leads were developed, and finally Durbin was located again, this time in Lake Charles. During a high-speed pursuit, Durbin lost control of the stolen Bentley and eventually wrecked the car. This led to a foot pursuit where Durbin briefly got away. LSP and VOTF requested blood hounds from Phelps Correctional Center who responded and kept Durbin on the move. At approximately 9:45 p.m. Durbin was located on Trousdale Road in Sulphur and arrested without incident. When Durbin was contacted by Law Enforcement, he simply put his hands in the air and said, “it’s me.” Other agencies that played a critical role in this arrest: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (provided air and ground support) and Louisiana National Guard who provided the helicopter for Louisiana State Police.

Henry Whitehorn, the United States Marshal for the Western District of Louisiana, said, “The coordinated effort of all law enforcement to bring dangerous criminals to justice ensures that the streets and neighborhoods of Louisiana are a safer place to raise our children.”

The Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF) in Lafayette is a team comprised of full-time law enforcement officers from the Lafayette City Marshals, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana Probation and Parole. Further, VOTF calls upon part-time TFO’s throughout its eight parish area. In 2010 VOTF -- Lafayette closed over 400 Warrants, most of which were violent felony offenses. US Marshals Task Forces throughout the United States arrested 81,900 state and local fugitives on felony charges.”