By Pat Culverhouse

A south Louisiana couple will be spending time in a north Louisiana lockup after an alleged fight broke out on the grounds of Camp Minden when one person had a change of heart about enrolling in the Youth Challenge Program.

Webster Parish deputies reportedly arrested 42-year old Hillery Lamar Gamble Jr. and 35-year-old Cora Michelle Tate, both Baton Rouge residents, around noon Sunday after responding to reports of a fight. Both were booked at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.

Reports indicate the incident began when one individual changed his mind about attending the YCP and returned to his vehicle. Officers said Gamble allegedly pulled the individual from the vehicle, struck him and threw him to the ground.

When the individual’s sister attempted to intervene, she allegedly was struck in the head by Gamble. After returning to the vehicle, the sister allegedly was struck by Tate several times with a cell phone.

Because the incident occurred on the grounds of Camp Minden, officers exercised a right to search after noticing the smell of marijuana inside the vehicle. During the search, a 9MM handgun, more than eight grams of marijuana, a blunt and a marijuana grinder reportedly was found inside Tate’s bag.

Gamble is charged with two counts of cruelty of a juvenile, while Tate was booked for one count of cruelty to a juvenile, possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana), possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia. No bond has been set on the charges.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named 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.