RED RIVER PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Coushatta man is behind bars, accused of damaging multiple tombstones and a worship center in Red River Parish.
According to the Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was called to the Springville Cemetery Friday, where witnesses reported seeing a man desecrating a tombstone. The man was identified as 31-year-old Robert Jones of the 1900 block of Jones St. in Coushatta.
While investigating the incident, police say the deputy got a call from dispatch about Jones damaging an electrical meter at the Will of God Ministries worship center. The next day, deputies found 17 additional gravesites that were desecrated along with more damage to the worship center.
Red River Parish Sheriff Glen Edwards says the damage of the gravesites and church amounted to over $15,000.
With assistance from a Coushatta police officer, Jones was taken into custody without incident and booked into Red River Parish Jail.
Jones is charged with 18 counts of desecration of graves, three counts of criminal damage to property, one count of criminal mischief, one count of theft, and one count of failure to appear. His bond is set at $30,000.
