DENHAM SPRINGS — Two Lafayette men pleaded guilty in federal court following a Livingston Parish investigation that led to a multi-state theft conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced on Dec. 19 that Dennis Sizemore, 54, and Gregory Brazell, 41, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to a theft ring that was uncovered after a shoplifting arrest at Juban Crossing Shopping Mall in 2022. 

The investigation led to the arrest of Sizemore and Brazell, along with Christopher Byerley and Adrienne King.

According to admissions, Sizemore, Brazell, Byerley, and King ran a vehicle theft operation across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. The group stole vehicles, including tractors, excavators, forklifts and a pickup truck, before tampering with Vehicle Identification Numbers to disguise the vehicles' identities. 

The group used fraudulent documentation, a chop shop and fake businesses like "Hevyquip L.L.C." to sell the stolen vehicles, with a value totaling over $250,000. The group also possessed over 400 identities and access devices to hide their crimes.

In addition to the vehicle thefts, Sizemore and Brazell sold a gun to Byerley, a previously convicted felon, who installed an unregistered silencer on the weapon.

A shoplifting incident in the Juban Crossing Shopping Center in February of 2022 led Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office detectives to discover a stolen pick-up truck being driven by Byerley containing the unregistered silencer, a gun, documentation for parts orders for silencers and multiple text messages and photographs showing intent to traffic firearms.  

Byerley was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison in December.

Sizemore and Brazell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport a stolen motor vehicle, altering, removing and obliterating a vehicle identification number, possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices and conspiracy to sell or dispose of a firearm and the transfer of a firearm to a prior convicted felon.