Fifteen people found out Sunday the governor’s order prohibiting large gatherings will be enforced.
DeSoto Parish sheriff’s deputies wrote citations to 15 people who were in a group gathered on horseback and in vehicles in South Mansfield, Sheriff Jayson Richardson said.
The sheriff’s office received a complaint Sunday afternoon that more than 30 people, 20 horses and a dozen vehicles were “ganged up” at the end of Albert Lewis Way, Richardson said.
Some scattered as deputies arrived. But those deputies were able to detain received misdemeanor court summons for being in violation of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home order limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people.
The order is aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. DeSoto Parish has 82 positive cases with four deaths blamed on COVID-19.
Anyone found guilty of the order faces a fine of $500 or jail time of up to six months.
“We made everyone aware we were going to enforce it. This is an example that we are, and we will continue to do so,” Richardson said.
The village of South Mansfield will be under a curfew beginning at 8 p.m. tonight. The curfew that restricts traffic to essential workers and first-responders will be in place each night from 8 a.m. until 6 a.m.
The city of Mansfield has the same curfew hours in place.