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NATCHEZ — The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) today announced the arrest of a Natchez man for allegedly cutting timber across a marked boundary line and failing to pay over $13,000 in damages.

According to a news release, Kenan Shotwell Gwinn of Natchez was arrested on May 10 in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, for theft of timber following an investigation by LDAF Forestry Enforcement Division.

The investigation revealed that in the fall of 2022, while conducting a timber harvesting operation for a landowner in Catahoula Parish, Gwin cut across a marked boundary line and cut two acres of Cypress and Harwood logs off an adjoining tract without permission.

Even after being made aware of cutting the victim’s timber, Gwinn still failed to pay for the damages after all this time. The loads of timber were valued at $13,429.

Kenan was arrested on one count of theft of timber in violation of LA Law R.S. 14:67.2 and booked into the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Jail. The bond has been set at $13,429.34.

All persons accused of any crime are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

LDAF urges the public to report any forestry-related crimes to the LDAF Office of Forestry at 225-925-4500 or LDAF’s 24-hour hotline at 1-855-452-5323.