Allen Parish man arrested for arson
For immediate release: September 22, 2025
On September 15, investigators with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Forestry Enforcement Division arrested 67-year-old Bradley Montou of Oberlin for allegedly setting fires in Allen Parish.
LDAF fire crews responded to multiple arson fires along LA Highway 26 and in wooded areas west of Oberlin on September 15. There were three fires along LA Highway 26 and seven in wooded areas near Highway 26, totaling 10 fires altogether.
Witnesses reported seeing a white male walking along the roadway where several small fires had been set. The suspect, identified as Bradley Montou, was later observed entering a wooded area and setting additional fires.
Montou was arrested by an LDAF enforcement agent and a detective from the Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Allen Parish Jail on ten counts of simple arson. His bond is set at $75,000.
“Thanks to the quick actions of LDAF fire crew personnel, LDAF aircraft, and investigators from both LDAF and local agencies, the fires were kept to minimal sizes, and the suspect was apprehended quickly,” says LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM.
NOTE: All persons accused of any crime are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The public is urged to report any and all forestry-related crimes to the LDAF 24-hr hotline at 1-855-452-5323.