A 25-year-old Tampa man is facing multiple charges after authorities say he forced his way out of his cell, grabbed a deputy's Taser, and injured two officers during a chaotic struggle inside the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center in Centerville. Jonathan Matthew Piriou had only been booked into the facility two days earlier, and he later faced additional charges after the September 12 altercation.
According to WBRZ, a deputy first attempted to deploy a Taser on Piriou, but the deployment was unsuccessful. Authorities allege that Piriou then forced his way out of his cell and into a hallway during the struggle, where he found himself trapped behind a locked door. Officers say he charged at a deputy and attacked responding officers before gaining control of the Taser himself, according to the same report. Several deputies ultimately subdued him, and he was returned to his cell.
Two deputies received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the altercation, the station's report notes. Piriou was formally arrested on Sunday morning in connection with the incident, adding to a booking history that began just two days prior.
How the Case Started Days Before the Struggle
Piriou's presence at the Centerville jail traces back to September 10, when he was arrested at 7:12 p.m. by the Franklin Police Department on a charge of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, according to St. Mary Now. He was booked, processed, and transported to the parish jail, and Sheriff's Office booking records show he was formally logged into the facility at 11:43 p.m. under booking number LEC0020261149.
Following the September 12 altercation, WBRZ reported that Piriou faced eight total charges. The added charges include disarming a police officer, resisting an officer, resisting an officer with force or violence, battery of a police officer involving medical attention, battery on a police officer, attempted escape, and simple robbery, layered on top of his original unauthorized entry charge. Bail across the combined offenses was set at $235,000, WBRZ reports.
What the Charges Could Mean Under Louisiana Law
The disarming charge carries particular legal weight. Under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:34.6, disarming a peace officer is a felony.
The battery counts also carry enhanced exposure. Under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:34.2, committing battery on a police officer that inflicts bodily injury requiring medical attention elevates the offense to a felony carrying mandatory imprisonment at hard labor, according to The Ambeau Law Firm. The report notes that two deputies received medical treatment, and Piriou faces a battery charge involving medical attention.
Separately, Piriou also faces an attempted escape charge.
A Jail Already Under Scrutiny
The St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center houses 320 inmates and houses State Department of Corrections prisoners alongside municipal and tribal law enforcement detainees, according to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office. Major Charles Parker Jr. has served as warden since October 2025, when Sheriff Gary Driskell appointed him after more than 16 years with the agency in roles including transportation supervisor and assistant warden, KQKI News reported at the time.
This is not the facility's first brush with security trouble. In June 2026, ten people were charged in connection with a contraband case at the jail, according to KQKI News.
At the same time, the Sheriff's Office has been building out both infrastructure and inmate programming around the jail. The agency broke ground in September 2025 on a new Criminal Division substation in Centerville meant to serve as a centralized hub between Franklin and Morgan City, Hoodline previously reported on jail buildout. The facility also launched a new library branch, offering inmates educational reading materials alongside existing vocational welding programs run in partnership with South Louisiana Community College.
