FOLSOM — Officials arrested three people after St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies say something was suspicious when they were searching for a man wanted for allegedly embezzling more than $500,000 from his employer.
While assisting the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit in finding a wanted individual, detectives with the STPSO Proactive Enforcement Unit say they came across some “suspicious activity” that resulted in multiple arrests.
On Dec. 29, 2025, STPSO detectives were conducting surveillance in Folsom in connection to a financial crimes investigation when they say they saw a white 2005 Chevrolet Impala approach a home, remain on the property for less than one minute and then leave abruptly.
Because of the odd behavior, detectives say they then followed the Impala. The driver violated multiple traffic laws, STPSO said, so deputies attempted to pull the driver over. Instead, the driver fled, leading deputies on a high-speed pursuit along Highway 437 and nearly hitting two vehicles, per STPSO.
Deputies say after the pursuit, two men who had been in the Impala, abandoned the car on Blackwell Lane in Washington Parish and fled on foot. With assistance from the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, detectives recovered three guns from the vehicle and identified the two occupants as the wanted man, 42-year-old Christopher Orlando, and his brother, 46-year-old Frank Orlando.
Detectives’ investigation revealed that Christopher Orlando’s son, 19-year-old Joshua Evans, had allegedly conspired with his uncle Frank Orlando to harbor his dad and assist him in evading law enforcement.
On Jan. 6, Christopher Orlando turned himself in at the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center and was arrested in connection with the Financial Crimes investigation. Joshua Evans and Frank Orlando were also taken into custody and booked into the correctional center on the following charges:
Joshua Evans
• Accessory After the Fact (Felony)
Frank Orlando III
• Aggravated Flight from an Officer (Felony)
• Accessory After the Fact (Felony)
• Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of Domestic Violence Battery (Felony)
• Turning Movements and Required Signals
• Driving on Roadway Laned for Travel
Christopher Orlando received the following charge in addition to the charges he already faces from the financial crimes investigation:
• Aggravated Flight from an Officer (Felony)
Investigation concerning Christopher Orlando
Christopher Orlando is the subject of an investigation into an embezzlement case. In August 2025, the owner of a local logistics business contacted the STPSO after discovering what he believed to be an internal embezzlement totaling approximately $300,000.
Following a five-month investigation, detectives with the STPSO Financial Crimes and Major Crimes Units determined that an employee of the business, Christopher Orlando, had allegedly orchestrated multiple fraudulent schemes to steal money from the company.
Per STPSO, the investigation ultimately revealed that Orlando fraudulently obtained $539,202.35 total from his employer.
Orlando surrendered at the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on Tuesday, Jan. 6, where he was booked on these charges and aggravated flight from an officer:
• 2 counts Felony Theft Over $25,000
• 2 counts Felony Money Laundering Over $100,000
• 57 counts Felony Forgery
• 2 counts Felony Theft Between $5,000 and $25,000
• 8 counts Felony Bank Fraud
• 8 counts Felony Access Device Fraud
• 8 counts Felony Illegal Transmission of Monetary Funds
• 2 counts Felony Money Laundering Between $3,000 and $20,000
• 1 count Felony Theft Between $1,000 and $5,000
• 1 count Misdemeanor Money Laundering Less Than $3,000
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