The Berwick Police Department and St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office have released the following joint statement regarding the two inmates who escaped the Berwick Police Department Jail late Wednesday night.
“On the night of Wednesday, November 12, 2025, a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office detective was notified that two inmates had escaped from the Berwick Police Department Jail. The Berwick Police Department requested assistance from SMPSO detectives, SMPSO Narcotics detectives, SMPSO patrol deputies, and the Morgan City Police Department.
Upon arrival, the SMPSO detective learned that the two inmates, identified as Cecil Michael Stratton and Brandon Lee Brunet, had exited their cell during a lockdown procedure and attacked BPD personnel. The detective opened an investigation into the incident.
A short time later, BPD officers were contacted by a citizen reporting a suspicious man in the area of Pharr Street. Officers made contact with Brandon Brunet and took him into custody without incident.
Law enforcement officers with the Berwick Police Department, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Morgan City Police Department continue to search for Cecil Michael Stratton.
The SMPSO detective obtained arrest warrants for both suspects.
𝐂𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧
• Unauthorized Entry of a Critical Infrastructure
• Disarming a Peace Officer
• Battery of a Police Officer
• Aggravated Battery
• Aggravated Escape
𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭- 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝
• Unauthorized Entry of a Critical Infrastructure
• Disarming a Peace Officer
• Battery of a Police Officer
• Aggravated Battery
• Aggravated Escape
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲
As many of you know, the Berwick Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident from last night in which two inmates escaped from our jail.
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We are asking for the public’s assistance in reviewing any home or business surveillance cameras for suspicious activity that may have occurred in your area. If you believe you may have heard or seen anything unusual between 10:00 p.m. last night and this morning, please contact us immediately.
Even the smallest detail could be helpful to our investigation.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
This joint investigation and multi-agency search for 𝐂𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧
is ongoing.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact:
𝐒𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐎 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐩:
https://www.stmaryso.com/crim
𝐒𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐎 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡:
337-828-1960
Private Message here on our SMPSO Facebook Page
𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
985-384-7710
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬
