Lake Charles, Louisiana - A Lake Charles resident faces multiple charges following the theft of construction equipment and subsequent drug-related offenses in Calcasieu Parish.
Justin R. Sittig, 37, of Lake Charles, Louisiana was arrested on January 2 after deputies located a rental truck pulling a stolen trailer near Highway 171 and Theriot Road in Moss Bluff. The investigation began on December 30 when the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office received reports of a stolen trailer and excavator near David Road and McCown Road in Iowa, Louisiana.
The sheriff's office Real Time Crime Center played a crucial role in identifying the suspect vehicle as a rental truck. During the traffic stop, deputies discovered Sittig was in possession of illegal substances, leading to additional charges.
Upon questioning at the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, Sittig admitted to stealing both the trailer and excavator. He provided investigators with information that led to the recovery of the excavator in neighboring Beauregard Parish, where local law enforcement assisted in the retrieval.
The charges against Sittig include theft of a motor vehicle over $25,000, theft between $5,000 and $25,000, possession of marijuana, possession of CDS II (Controlled Dangerous Substances), possession of drug paraphernalia, and improper vehicle equipment. Judge Tony Fazzio set bond at $67,600.
Investigators also discovered Sittig had an outstanding warrant for identity theft from a separate case where he allegedly opened a fraudulent charge account at a local store, accumulating over $2,000 in charges under another person's name.
Detective Tyler McKnight and Senior Corporal Dylan Lisotta of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office are leading the ongoing investigation.
An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.