Plantation Motor Inn Ordered to Close Following Years of Violent Crimes
PLANTATION MOTOR INN ORDERED TO CLOSE FOLLOWING YEARS OF VIOLENT CRIME, DRUG ACTIVITY
Action continues coordinated effort to address chronic crime, blight and unsafe living conditions across Lafayette
Lafayette, LA – The 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, in coordination with Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG), has secured a permanent injunction and order of abatement against the Plantation Motor Inn (2810 NE Evangeline Thruway). Lafayette City Court Judge Roya Boustany issued the final judgment on October 9, 2026, following years of documented criminal activity and serious public safety concerns at the property.
From 2023 through August 17, 2026, Lafayette Police recorded 2,073 calls for service and 247 reports associated with the property. Law enforcement activity during that period included a November 2023 homicide, drug-related crimes involving substances including fentanyl, prostitution-related activity, and the seizure of 13 firearms and narcotics with an estimated street value exceeding $114,000. Both managers of the Plantation Motor Inn have also been arrested on drug-related charges, including charges involving PCP.
Beyond the significant demand on law enforcement, the conditions at the property raise an equally important concern: people have been living in and around this level of criminal activity.
“When property owners exploit some of our most vulnerable residents while serious criminal activity is allowed to persist around them, that is unacceptable,” Lafayette Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet said. “This is difficult work, and it takes all of us. I am grateful for the partners who continue to step forward and work through these complex issues with us. Our community deserves safe neighborhoods. Our people deserve safe, stable places to call home. And we will continue working together to deliver both.”
“Fentanyl and heroin are killing our fellow Acadians. In recent years, someone in Acadiana died from an overdose every 36 hours,” District Attorney Don Landry said. “If you harbor this kind of activity, the District Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to shut you down.”
Assistant District Attorney Chase Edwards added, “This new approach is simple. There will be no safe haven for people manufacturing and peddling the drugs that kill our neighbors and family members. We especially want to thank everyone at LCG, LPD, ARCH, LPSS and the Lafayette Housing Authority working tirelessly to ensure we take care of our neighbors who will be displaced. This is a difficult but necessary step to improve our city for everyone.”
THE COURT ORDER
The action was pursued under Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:4711–4715, which provide a legal process to address properties associated with certain unlawful activity. Following a preliminary hearing September 30, 2026, Judge Roya Boustany issued a final judgment on October 9, 2026 ordering operations to cease for five years, unless sooner released, and ordering abatement of the property. The order also provides an opportunity for discussions regarding a path for the property to ultimately return to commerce.
Effective immediately, the Plantation Motor Inn may not accept new guests or enter into new rental agreements. Because some individuals have been residing at the property on a longer-term basis, the order allows current occupants to remain through the expiration of their existing arrangements, whether nightly, weekly or longer-term, with no occupant permitted to remain beyond 45 days.
“Public safety is always a top priority for the judiciary and our community. With the growing population of individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders, this judgment will benefit our community greatly,” 15th Judicial District Adult Drug Court Judge Valerie Gotch Garrett said.
HELPING RESIDENTS IDENTIFY SAFE HOUSING OPTIONS
The Plantation Motor Inn currently serves as longer-term housing for some residents, making the transition from the property more complex than simply closing its doors.
LCG has been working with Acadiana Regional Coalition on Homelessness and Housing (ARCH), the Lafayette Housing Authority and other community partners to coordinate relocation efforts and ensure residents have access to information, resources and potential housing options during the 45-day transition period.
“Everyone in our community deserves safe, decent and affordable housing. We also realize that leaving a home, regardless of circumstance, can be incredibly difficult,” ARCH Executive Director Elsa Dimitriadis said. “Our commitment is to walk alongside the residents affected by this transition, helping them navigate available resources and identify safe, stable housing options that meet their needs. We want each person to know they are not facing this alone.”
A BROADER COMMITMENT TO LAFAYETTE
The action involving the Plantation Motor Inn is part of the Boulet Administration’s ongoing effort to address chronic crime, blight, unsafe living conditions and properties that repeatedly demand significant public resources, while also confronting the complex housing challenges that can leave vulnerable residents with limited alternatives.
These issues cannot be solved by any one agency or through enforcement alone. LCG will continue working alongside the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, ARCH, the Lafayette Housing Authority, law enforcement and other community partners to hold property owners accountable, strengthen neighborhoods and connect residents with resources that can lead to safer and more stable living conditions.
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