Rockey Burnham, a 44-year-old Grand Isle commercial fisherman, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday (May 6) after his sixth conviction for DWI, a case in which Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents Sgt. Ezekiel Talbert and Senior Agent Michael Marques assisted.
Burnham was accused by Jefferson Parish prosecutors of colliding his boat into several other watercraft and a shrimp dock in Grand Isle on April 28, 2015. Prosecutors said he was under the influence of diazepam, nordiazepam and methamphetamine. He was found guilty by a jury April 20 of fourth-offense or more DWI and sentenced May 6 by Judge Conn Regan of the 24th Judicial District Court.
Burnham will serve his sentence without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office stated.
LDWF Enforcement Division agents were notified by and assisted the U.S. Coast Guard after the incident in Grand Isle. Impairment was considered a possible contributing factor.
After performing poorly on a series of standardized field sobriety tests, Burnham was arrested by Talbert and Marques for DWI and transported to the Grand Isle Police Station. Further tests were administered and Burnham was later transported to Jefferson Parish Detention Center.