Louisiana Man Accused in Texas Crime Spree

BEAUMONT, TX – A wave of violence gripped Jefferson County in October 2023, allegedly at the hands of Bracelon Armon Charles, a 22-year-old from Sunset, Louisiana. Charles now faces federal charges stemming from a brazen crime spree that included carjackings, a shooting, and an attempted convenience store robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced this week.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas returned a six-count indictment against Charles, charging him with two counts of carjacking, two counts of brandishing or using a firearm during a violent crime, and Hobbs Act robbery. The indictment details a chaotic series of events that left residents shaken and law enforcement scrambling.

According to the charges, Charles, along with a juvenile accomplice, first attempted to carjack a vehicle in Beaumont. When the attempt failed, the indictment alleges Charles shot the vehicle’s owner. The pair then allegedly moved on to Port Arthur, successfully carjacking another vehicle. Their spree culminated in an attempted robbery of a convenience store, also in Beaumont.

Federal investigators are framing this case within the larger context of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and combating violent crime. The operation streamlines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), signaling a concerted effort to address escalating criminal activity.

If convicted on all counts, Bracelon Armon Charles faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Beaumont Police Department, the Port Arthur Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman is prosecuting the case.

It is crucial to remember that a federal indictment represents accusations, not proof of guilt. Bracelon Armon Charles, like all defendants in the American legal system, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any developments.

RELATED: NOLA Duo Caught with Machine Gun, Facing Decades in Federal Prison

RELATED: NOLA Man Packed Heat & Poison: Feds Indict