Lewis Giles Jr., 51, of LaPlace was arrested January 13, 2024 in connection to a major financial crimes investigation conducted by the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office.
In a previous financial crimes investigation of Giles, along with the current case, Giles now faces nearly 200 charges of false public filings. Giles claims to be a sovereign citizen.
In April 2023 detectives began an investigation after receiving a burglary complaint in reference to the filing of false public documents/records with the St. John Parish Clerk of Court’s Office. The investigation focused on the complaint of falsified/forged land deeds that claimed “ownership” and/or possession of properties and residences in St. John the Baptist Parish not owned by Giles Jr. Through the use of mail and falsified public filings Giles conspired to unlawfully deprive and remove/evict the proper registered owners of the respective residences from the public record.
On June 14, 2023, officers received a complaint from another government agency and a local Justice of the Peace of possible fraud committed by Giles against another empty residence in St. John the Baptist Parish. Detectives learned Giles Jr. was reporting a public notice in a local newspaper that indicated Giles was attempting to claim ownership of the property.
The false public filings were similar to the separate, past scheme in which Giles was arrested for using the same tactics and methods.
Based on investigation, SWAT officers and detectives arrested Giles June 15, 2023 and he posted bond the same day. Since his June arrest, Giles failed to appear in court to face the financial crime charges.
Since June 2023, Giles was wanted on several contempt of court warrants.
Based on further investigation, detectives also obtained a judicial warrant for additional charges including nine counts of filing a false complaint against a law enforcement officer (misd), nine counts of injuring public records (felony); nine counts of false swearing (misd), nine counts of filing or maintaining false public records (felony). He is being held in custody in lieu of $361,728 bond.
Since 2003, Giles Jr. has been arrested six times for various charges including domestic abuse battery, simple battery, molestation of a juvenile, simple assault, no driver’s license, resisting an officer, contributing to the delinquency of juveniles; and recently for simple burglary, filing or maintaining false public records (33 counts), injuring public records (33 counts), and forgery (33).