A search of a Choudrant home for a woman wanted on multiple warrants, including one for failing to register as a sex offender, ended with deputies finding her hidden in a secret room behind a bedroom closet — and led to a second arrest at the same address.
Sommer Hattaway, 34, of Choudrant, was arrested July 19 by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office. Jeremy Gates, 41, also of Choudrant, was arrested the same day in connection with the search.
According to an arrest affidavit, deputies went to a residence on New Hope Road in reference to the possibility that Hattaway, who had several active warrants, was inside. Deputies made contact with Gates, who initially told them Hattaway was not there and that he had not seen her in some time.
Gates gave deputies consent to search the residence. During the search, deputies located a hidden room in the master bedroom closet that could only be locked from the inside with a deadbolt. Deputies advised Gates of his rights and instructed him to tell Hattaway to come out of the room. She complied and was taken into custody.
According to the affidavit, Gates initially withheld Hattaway’s presence from deputies before she was located. He was arrested on a charge of harboring or concealing a sex offender.
Deputies noted that an active protective order listed Gates as a protected person against Hattaway at the New Hope Road address, putting her in violation of that order as well.
Both were transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Hattaway was booked on charges of domestic abuse battery amended to simple battery, simple battery, aggravated assault, failure to register as a sex offender (fifth offense), and violation of a protective order; bond on the sex-offender registration charge was set at $150,000, with no bond set on the remaining charges. Gates was booked on a charge of harboring or concealing a sex offender.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
