Sabine Parish man accused of stealing wood chips

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry arrested a Sabine Parish man in connection with the theft of wood chips valued at more than $68,000. According to LDAF, 51-year-old Veachel Parker Jr., of 77 Parker Circle in Noble, is alleged to have stolen 62 loads of wood chips from a Natchitoches Parish sawmill between September 2017 and January 2018. Parker is the owner and operator of Parker Trucking LLC. Investigators said Parker was hired to deliver wood chips to another mill in DeSoto Parish, but after delivering the loads to its destination, he would keep the proceeds, according to the LDAF press release. Parker was arrested Aug. 28 on one count of theft. Bond was set at $10,000 and he bonded out the same day, according to LDAF. If convicted of one count of theft over $25,000, Parker faces imprisonment of not more than 20 years, a fine of up to $50,000 or both, according to LDAF.