Dwayne Winans, Jr., Carjacking, Bank Robbery, Louisiana 2016

Carjackings on the rise in New Orleans

In a shocking turn of events, two New Orleans residents, Dwayne Winans, Jr., a/k/a ‘Butter,’ and Bryson Tuesno, have been slapped with federal charges for their involvement in a string of carjackings, bank robberies, and obstruction of justice. The superseding indictment, which includes multiple counts of carjacking, bank robbery, and obstruction of justice, was unsealed last week by U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite.

According to the indictment, Winans, 22, was previously indicted on October 6, 2016, for the August 4, 2016 robbery of a Fidelity Bank located at 5530 Crowder Boulevard in New Orleans. However, this time around, he is facing additional charges for two carjackings that took place on August 12, 2016, where he allegedly took a silver/gray 2012 Toyota Camry and a black 2009 Toyota Corolla from individuals known to the grand jury.

The carjackings carry a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine each. Additionally, Winans and Tuesno are charged together for their roles in two bank robberies, one at a Regions Bank located at 3836 Elysian Fields Avenue in New Orleans and the other at Gulf Coast Bank located at 1900 Oak Harbor Boulevard in Slidell. Each bank robbery count carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and/or a $250,000 fine.

In a bizarre twist, both Winans and Tuesno are also charged with obstruction of justice for destroying the silver/gray 2012 Toyota Camry involved in one of the carjacking counts. This obstruction charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and/or a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department for their tireless efforts in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. McMahon is leading the prosecution.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the brazen nature of carjackings and bank robberies in New Orleans. As the city continues to grapple with these issues, residents are left wondering what can be done to prevent such crimes from occurring in the future.

At Grimy Times, we will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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