A St. Bernard man pleaded guilty to several charges brought forth by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents in the 25th Judicial District of Plaquemines Parish on May 28.

Bruce M. Guerra III, 39, pleaded guilty to using skimmers during a closed season, driving or operating a vessel while impaired (DWI), and criminal mischief.

Judge Kevin Conner accepted Guerra’s plea and sentenced him for the DWI to pay a $300 fine and $125 Louisiana State Police Lab fee, to six months of active probation, to six months of inactive probation, 32 hours of community service, to attend and complete a driver improvement program and a substance abuse program, plus all monthly probation fees.

For criminal mischief, Guerra was ordered to pay $150 fine plus court costs. For using skimmers during a closed season, he was ordered to pay a $300 fine plus court costs. Additionally, he cannot be on any shrimp vessel possessing shrimp or gear to take shrimp without having a vessel monitoring system that is monitored by the LDWF Enforcement Division for a period of one year.

The guilty plea stems from an Aug. 2, 2023 stop when LDWF Agents observed Guerra with no navigation lights on his vessel while actively shrimping during a closed shrimping season in Oak River in Plaquemines Parish.

Agents boarded the vessel, and the captain, Guerra, was showing signs of impairment. After further investigation, agents determined that Guerra was impaired, and he admitted to agents of throwing incriminating evidence overboard.

Guerra was arrested and booked into the Plaquemines Parish prison for using skimmers during a closed season, DWI, and no navigation lights.

Assistant District Attorney Mary Touzet prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.

Agents participating in the case were Corporal Blaine Wagner, Corporal Gary Levron, Sgt. Kyle Wagner, and Agent Shea Schexnaydre, Agent Heather Fitzgerald, Agent Jimmie Daniels and Agent Austin Wiles.