A Broussard man has pleaded guilty to a multi-state vehicle theft and firearm trafficking scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon.
Christopher Don Byerley, 45, of Broussard, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to conspiracy to transport a stolen motor vehicle; altering, removing and obliterating a vehicle identification number; possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices; conspiracy to trafficking a firearm and receipt of a trafficked firearm; receipt of a trafficked firearm; and possession of an unregistered silencer.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between October 2021 and March 2022, Byerley and his co-conspirators, Robert Gregory Brazell, Adrienne Marie King, and Dennis Loyd Sizemore, carried out a coordinated and complex operation extending across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, in which the group stole, and subsequently used or sold the stolen and altered vehicles, including tractors, excavators, forklifts, and a pickup truck, with a total value of over $250,000.
The scheme involved fraudulent documentation, a “chop shop” for equipment disassembly and tampering, a false business front such as “Hevyquip L.L.C.” to sell stolen equipment, altering Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), and the use of surveillance evasion tools, such as GPS signal blockers, vehicle plate flippers, and fake driver’s licenses. To further conceal their activities, the conspirators utilized over 400 identities and access devices to evade detection.
During the investigation, it was determined that Byerley, a convicted felon, used a third party to illegally purchase a firearm, which was later fitted with the unregistered silencer.
Byerley’s guilty plea reflects the commitment of our office and federal law enforcement in partnership with our state and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle sophisticated criminal organizations and hold accountable those who pose a significant threat to public safety.
The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting thorough investigations and to working with our local and federal agencies. This investigation is a great example of detectives working a shoplifting incident and that turning into a major investigation across this state and others.
A total of $250,000 worth of stolen equipment was recovered as part of the investigation. Byerley is set to be sentenced on a later date.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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