District Attorney-Child Supprt

The District Attorney's Office for Avoyelles Parish, led by District Attorney Charles Riddle, primarily oversees the prosecution of criminals within the parish. This involves all courts and convening the Grand Jury to decide which crimes to prosecute, as well as exercising discretion for cases not going before the Grand Jury. The office also serves as legal counsel for the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury and School Board.

The office provides several public services to the community. It manages a Pre-Trial Diversion program for eligible first-time, non-violent offenders, aiming to prevent future criminal acts through treatment, classes, or community service. Businesses can receive assistance with Hot Check Collections, a service provided without expense to the business, to aid in collecting from customers who issue checks with insufficient funds.

For individuals facing traffic citations, the District Attorney's office processes approximately 4,000 tickets annually and offers pre-trial diversion for qualified moving violations. A significant focus is placed on Child Support Collections, where the office works to ensure non-custodial parents meet their obligations. Additionally, the office assists with Expungements, helping individuals clear eligible arrest records, criminal charges, or convictions from public access, in accordance with Louisiana law.

The prosecuting Assistant District Attorneys include Anthony F. Salario, Jonathan T. Gaspard, Andrea D. Aymond, Jenny Donaghey Beckham, Derek Manuel, Emily Edwards Bertholl, Elizabeth Williams, and Peter J. Lemoine, Jr.