Deputies looking for sweet-toothed bandit

LaPLACE, La. (RNS) Was it frequent trips to the dentist for cavities? Or a trail of sugar ants? Sheriff’s investigators in St. John the Baptist Parish aren’t saying how 31-year-old Jason Dumas became their chief suspect in a scam that left a church on stuck with a nearly $10,000 bill for a fraudulent order for […]

LaPLACE, La. (RNS) Was it frequent trips to the dentist for cavities? Or a trail of sugar ants?

Sheriff’s investigators in St. John the Baptist Parish aren’t saying how 31-year-old Jason Dumas became their chief suspect in a scam that left a church on stuck with a nearly $10,000 bill for a fraudulent order for the World’s Finest Chocolate.

But it appears the suspects may have left a paper trail, according to church officials, even though sheriff’s officials haven’t been able to locate the man after months of searching.


Authorities say Dumas ordered 200 cases of chocolate under the name of Celebration Church on Oct. 27, 2009. The candy was delivered to the church, where authorities say Dumas and another suspect were waiting to unload the order into two vehicles.

Pastor David Jochum said that before the delivery, the candy distributor called the church office to confirm the shipment of the chocolate to one of the church’s deacons — a Jason Dumas.

The receptionist told them that “there was no one by that name” at the church, but they delivered the chocolate anyway, Jochum said.

The church received an invoice for $9,020 from World’s Finest Chocolate in February. Jochum said when he first received the bill, he immediately thought it was an error, because he knew the church did not order any chocolate, let alone 200 cases.

“We turned it over to our finance department and once they contacted the distributor, they gave us names of the people who ordered it,” said Jochum. “They were not names of anybody connected to our church.”

Jochum said the church still receives bills but has contacted the parent company to explain the situation.


“I’m glad the Sheriff’s Office was able to follow up on the leads they had and find a suspect. They have done a great job,” said Jochum.

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