Mar 30, 2011 - With summer approaching and temperatures rising, parents and guardians of minor children need to think carefully about the dangers of leaving their children alone in vehicles in public parking lots, sometimes with windows up, while they shop or run errands, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

It is illegal to leave young minors unattended and violators will be arrested and booked with child desertion and possible cruelty to a juvenile or a worse charge depending on what happens to the kids, Pohlmann said.

He said a 20-year-old mother was arrested about noon on Saturday, March 26, after leaving her sleeping 16-month-old son in a car with windows up while she shopped for 30 minutes in the Wal-Mart store in Chalmette. Temperatures were about 80 degrees at the time.

The child woke up alone, found a way to get out of his car seat and opened the vehicle door, and was found wandering around the busy parking lot, looking for his mother, Pohlmann said. Passers-by turned him over to Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Anthony Bruscato, who was working an off-duty security detail at the store.

Pohlmann said that fortunately the boy wasn’t struck by a vehicle. But he was soaked in his own urine and was sweating profusely from being in the vehicle, where temperatures rise rapidly when there is fair.

The mother, Alisha Jasmine of New Orleans, was booked with child desertion and cruelty to a juvenile and has since been released on bond from St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Last summer, three adults were arrested in Chalmette for the same offense involving leaving children alone in vehicles on hot days, Pohlmann said. He said parents and guardians need to remember there is no excuse, including not wanting to wake a sleeping child, that is a good reason for leaving their young minors alone.

Poholmann also said he understands anyone can be accidentally thoughtless and maybe even a little negligent in their actions sometimes.

But he said, “I can’t imagine why someone would intentionally leave their child alone in a public parking lot.’’

Not only can children die of heat stroke when left in a vehicle with the windows up, what about the threat of the child being kidnapped or even sexually assaulted when helpless like that, Pohlmann said.

Pohlmann asked, “Why take that chance with your child, just to save a few minutes not having to remove them and later put them back into a car when you take them inside?”

Babies have died in many states, including once in Chalmette in the late 1990s, from heat stroke. On a hot summer day, temperatures in a vehicle without the air-conditioner on, especially with windows up, can zoom to 120 degrees, Pohlmann said. Nationally, each year children die when they dehydrate, their body temperature goes up and their brain is damaged in such situations.

Mar 30, 2011 - It seems the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office can catch fish as well as catch criminals.

The Sheriff’s Office Team, hosted by Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann, and with fishermen Lt. Brent Bourgeois and Capt. Ricky Jackson won Parish President Craig P. Taffaro Jr.’s President’s Challenge Fishing Tournament on the final day of the Redfish Cup in Chalmette on Saturday, March 26.
 
Snagging two redfish that weighed in at 10.87 pounds total, Pohlmann’s team bested the fishermen on three other teams that were hosted by President Taffaro, St. Bernard Parish Councilman Wayne Landry and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. The weigh-in took place at the Louisiana Crawfish Festival on the grounds of the parish’s Frederic Sigur Civic Center.

For the President’s Challenge, the winning team gets bragging rights for a year and receives a traveling trophy Redfish Cup trophy hand-made of hand-beaten metal by local artist Luis Colmenares of City Art Studios.
 
Building on successful professional fishing tournaments held in St. Bernard Parish since 2004, this was the first stop for the Academy Sports and Outdoors HT Professional Redfish Series bringing to town 30 teams from the Gulf South Region.

The 37th Louisiana Crawfish Festival was held under beautiful skies in Chalmette the weekend of March 24-27, with the mud bugs served in numerous food presentations, along with arts, crafts, entertainment and rides for children, on the grounds of the Frederic J. Sigur Civic Center. Shown above, Rodney Dalton, left, and Gregory Pichon of Lehrmann’s Bar and Seafood check on crawfish being boiled for the fest and crawfish races on a board were a big hit with the crowd. Also, below some of the crowd is shown walking the Midway; children hold on in one of the many rides and a group gets ready for a carousel ride. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTOS.

David Roig, 30, wanted in robbery and beating of Arabi man he knew

Mar 26, 2011 - A A 30-year-old man is sought by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office on a warrant alleging he robbed and beat an Arabi man he knew after luring him from a residence on Friday, March 25, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

David Roig, a St. Bernard native who has served time in prison and should be considered armed, and an unknown accomplice robbed the 52-year-old victim in front of the man’s home in mid-afternoon after calling him and asking him to meet at a location in New Orleans, Pohlmann said.

Roig is also a suspect in a home burglary in Chalmette earlier in the same day in which a gun was stolen and is probably the weapon used in the robbery, Pohlmann said.
Anyone with information on Roig’s whereabouts should call the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.

The victim said that as he got into his truck parked near his apartment on Angela Street in Arabi he was approached by two men who laid in wait for him, both wearing masks. He said he could recognize Roig as one of the men and that he struck him in the head with a pistol. A large amount of money was stolen from him, he reported. The other man hasn’t been identified.

The victim, who didn’t require medical treatment, said he tried to follow the men as they drove away in a vehicle but lost them as they went into New Orleans.

A judge later signed a warrant for Roig’s arrest for armed robbery and second-degree battery..

(Left) Gregory Kennedy, 34, of New Orleans, booked in fraudulent Section 8 housing claims in St. Bernard Parish.  (Right) Preston Carmon, 37, former St. Bernard government employee arrested in Section 8 housing program fraud scheme.

Mar 24, 2011 - An employee of St. Bernard Parish government and a friend have been booked with 38 counts of felony theft involving $47,000 of stolen federal money in fake Section 8 program claims, St. Bernard Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Preston Carmon, 37, of New Orleans, who has worked more than a year for parish government as a housing specialist dealing with the Section 8 program, and Gregory Kennedy, 34, of New Orleans, a friend of Carmon, have both been booked with the felony thefts.

Carmon, arrested Wednesday, has been terminated from his parish job. He was released from St. Bernard Parish Prison on a $50,000 commercial surety bond Thursday afternoon.

Kennedy, arrested Thursday, is jailed pending an appearance before a judge to have bond set.

The Section 8 program, operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households.

Pohlmann said it is alleged Carmon falsely listed Kennedy - who doesn’t own any property in St. Bernard Parish - as the landlord for numerous individuals at fictitious addresses in order to illegally generate checks to Kennedy. They split the money received from HUD, Pohlmann said.

The U.S. Office of Inspector General took part in the investigation, Pohlmann said.

The scheme was carried out over a period from January 2010 to the end of February 2011, he said, and an investigation is continuing.

Carmon worked at City Hall in New Orleans under former Mayor Ray Nagin’s administration before he was hired in St. Bernard Parish.

Pohlmann said the investigation by sheriff’s detectives began after the Sheriff’s Office was notified by St. Bernard Parish government of possible illegal activity in the HUD program. The Office of

Parish President Craig Taffaro’s office issued a short statement which said in part: 

“The St. Bernard Parish Housing and Redevelopment Office discovered what appeared to be suspect activity by one of its employees.

“All information relative to this concern was turned over to the proper legal authorities and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.’’

.

UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE

Mar 22, 2011 - The body of a missing New Orleans man, who along with his brother was ejected from their boat while fishing in St. Bernard Parish waters on Saturday, March 19, was found Tuesday by the state Wildlife and Fisheries Department.

State agents, who had been searching with the Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, found the body of Mark Anderson, 53, about 9:45 a.m. in the Mississippi River – Gulf Outlet, near where the boating accident happened, authorities said.

He had suffered a head injury, according to sheriff’s officials.

The victim’s brother, Alvin Anderson, 63, also of New Orleans, was pronounced dead following the mid-afternoon accident that resulted from an apparent mechanical problem on their 18-foot boat. The craft spun out of control, according to relatives who were fishing in a different boat, and both brothers were thrown into the water. Neither was wearing a flotation device. They were the only ones onboard.

Alvin Anderson died of injuries he suffered, possibly from being struck by the boat’s propeller, authorities said. Preliminary autopsy results indicated trauma, St. Bernard Coroner Dr. Bryan Bertucci’s office said.

Capt. Brian Clark, who heads the Sheriff’s Marine Division, cautioned that people who plan to be boating as summer approaches should inspect all equipment on their boat and wear life jackets, including having a properly working kill-switch on the boat to turn off the engine in the event of a sudden mechanical problem.
Mark Anderson worked with computers in the Navy's Information Management department as a civilian, and Alvin Anderson, was an oil rig inspector. Both were experienced recreational fishermen, their family members told investigators.
Their nephews had gone out with them on a second boat, and were fishing nearby when they heard a loud noise and saw the boat begin to spin out of control, family members said.
Alvin Anderson was given CPR when rescued from the water and was taken to shore and brought to a hospital but died of his injuries.

UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE

Mar 21, 2011 - A man has surrendered to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office after learning he was wanted on an arrest warrant for aggravated burglary for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and holding a gun on her.

Frederick Blue, 24, surrendered at Parish Prison in Chalmette on Sunday night, March 20.

He is jailed in lieu of bond set at $35,000 on March 21.

An arrest warrant signed by a judge was issued for Blue on the charge of aggravated burglary, which took place at the home of his ex-girlfriend in Violet the night of March 8.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said Blue, who had been asked to leave her home by the woman on March 7, returned the next day,  forced his way through a window after tearing off a screen, then grabbed the woman by her throat and dragged her in her home. 

She broke free and ran through the residence, Pohlmann said, but Blue pulled a handgun and pointed it at her. He again grabbed her, threw her on a sofa and he struck her on both sides of the head with closed fists before fleeing, he said.

Orignal Story

UPDATE • UPDATE • UPDATE

Mar 21, 2011 - The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Marine Division are continuing a search for a New Orleans man who has been missing since he was ejected from a boat on a fishing trip in Lake Borgne on Saturday, March 19, in an incident in which his older brother was killed.

Sonar equipment for searching the bottom of the lake is expected to be bought in by Wildlife and Fisheries, authorities said.

Mark Anderson, 53, is unaccounted for since the mid-afternoon accident near the Mississippi River – Gulf Outlet, which authorities believe was the result of a mechanical problem on their 18-foot boat. The craft spun out of control, according to relatives who were fishing in a different boat, and both brothers were thrown into the water. Neither was wearing a flotation device. They were the only ones onboard.

Alvin Anderson, 63, also of New Orleans, died of injuries he suffered, possibly from being struck by the boat’s propeller. Both were experienced recreational fishers, their family members told authorities.

Autopsy results on the cause of death haven’t been made public.

Capt. Brian Clark, who heads the Sheriff’s Marine Division, said the accident should be a warning to others as summer approaches and more people will be fishing and boating in the area.

“Inspect all equipment on your boat and wear life jackets,’’ Clark said. “Also, have a properly working kill-switch” on the boat to turn off the engine in the event of a sudden mechanical problem.
Mark Anderson, who works with computers in the Navy's Information Management department as a civilian, and Alvin Anderson, an oil rig inspector, were both experienced recreational fishermen, their family members told investigators.
Their nephews had gone out with them on a second boat, and were fishing nearby when they heard a loud "boom" and saw the boat begin to spin out of control, family members said.
Alvin Anderson was given CPR when rescued from the water and was taken to shore and brought to a hospital but died of his injuries.

Original Story

Mar 21, 2011 - On the same day he received the Harry Lee Award from Crimestoppers Inc. honoring his career, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack A. Stephens – second longest-serving sheriff in parish history - officially announced he isn’t seeking re-election to an 8th term this October.

Now in office 27 years with more than a year to go before his 7th term term ends June 30, 2012, Stephens, 62, is currently the longest-serving sheriff in Louisiana.
Only Esteve Nunez, who served as St. Bernard Parish sheriff from 1879 until his death in 1909, has had a longer tenure in office as sheriff than Sheriff Stephens, according to parish historian William Hyland.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack A. Stephens, second from the right, holds the Sheriff Harry Lee Criminal Justice Award he received March 17 from Crimestoppers Inc. of Greater New Orleans, honoring his career. With him, from left, are New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas, Crimestoppers President and CEO Darlene Cusanza and Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand. STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO.

Stephens took office July 1, 1984, at the age of 35 after beating incumbent Sheriff Ralph McDougal in October 1983 and has since been re-elected six times, most recently in 2007.
The official announcement, in the form of a message to the citizens of St. Bernard Parish, came on Thursday, March 17, the same day Crimestoppers Inc. of Greater New Orleans honored Stephens with its Sheriff Harry Lee Criminal Justice Award at its luncheon in New Orleans to recognize Stephens’ career. Lee served as Jefferson Parish sheriff from 1980 until his death in 2007.

“I had deep affection and respect for him,’’ Sheriff Stephens said of Sheriff Lee as he accepted the award named for him from Crimestoppers President and CEO Darlene Cusanza. He noted at the podium that Lee was the first sheriff in the New Orleans area to call and congratulate him after Stephens’ first election.
“Sheriff Lee was always there for me,’’ Stephens said. He said he considered it “the culmination of my career in law enforcement’’ to receive an award that honors Lee’s memory
Lee, known for his shoot-from-the-hip style, was one of the most famous politicians in Louisiana history.

Cusanza, whose organization is celebrating 30 years of offering rewards for information on crime in the area – leading to numerous arrests – said the Sheriff Harry Lee Award is given “in recognition of someone who has served the community in the criminal justice arena.’’

She said of Sheriff Stephens: “He has been a wonderful friend and ally to Crimestoppers over the years,’’ saying for example, “He supported and assisted in lobbying for a $2 court fee in cases to help the reward process (for Crimestoppers) reach up to $2,500 and has provided someone to work with us to forward information for investigation.’’

Reflecting on his 27 years in office and retirement, Sheriff Stephens told an interviewer afterward receing the award: “Seven terms is a long time. The (St. Bernard Parish) Sheriff’s Office is in good shape now and can function fine without me.’’

	Sheriff Stephens with Cusanza, who introduced him at the awards luncheon.

Sheriff Stephens: “I wish to formally announce I have decided not to seek re-election to the position of Sheriff of St. Bernard Parish.

“I contemplated retiring after my last term, but after consultation with members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office I decided to seek election for one additional term to complete the process of rebuilding the Sheriff’s Office in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“I feel the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office has now survived the challenges posed by the Hurricane and its aftermath, and I am confident the leadership within the Department, who served so proudly and courageously during our darkest hour, will continue their efforts to maintain the integrity of our community and to safeguard its residents.

“It has been a privilege to work with the men and women of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office who are dedicated to serving the citizens of St. Bernard Parish and keeping them safe. I wish to extend my sincerest thanks to the employees of the Sheriff’s Office for their continued hard work and commitment to protecting St. Bernard and keeping it one of the safest communities in our area.

“I offer my gratitude to all members of the Criminal Justice system, including the District Attorney, the 34th Judicial District Court Judges and the office of the Clerk of Court, for their contributions to our crime fighting efforts.

“I wish also to thank the citizens of St. Bernard for their continued support during my tenure as Sheriff for our law enforcement efforts. It has been an honor to serve as Sheriff for the hard working, loyal and resilient citizens of St. Bernard Parish.”

Later, expounding on his message, he said he ran again in 2007 after individuals within the Sheriff’s Office told him following Hurricane Katrina “they would feel uncomfortable with a change of leadership’’ at that time and encouraged him to go seek another term.

“They had stayed and committed themselves to the parish and wanted continuity of leadership,’’ Sheriff Stephens said.”They (the deputies) wanted me to make the same commitment they had.’’

Sheriff Stephens' photo on giant screen as he is announced recipient of Sheriff Harry Lee Criminal Justice Award.

“Things are running smoothly’’ and for the most part crime has been suppressed, he said, as the Sheriff’s Office has restored nearly all of its components that were there prior to the storm. “Anything I have achieved as sheriff has always been because of the work of the men and women of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office.’’

“I have always been proud of our aggressive approach to law enforcement,’’ that has led to St. Bernard being one of the safest, if not the safest, parish in Southeast Louisiana, he said. “Through good times and bad the Sheriff’s Office has kept the community safe.’’

“And we rebuilt our department and worked to give the people of this community the opportunity to rebuild their lives here after the hurricane, knowing they weren’t likely to be a victim of serious crime,’’ Sheriff Stephens said.

He said much of the credit for parish safety “goes to residents who have been so good about trusting us to report suspicious activity they see. They know we will act on what they report.’’

“We haven’t suffered from the violent crime seen in other areas,’’ he said. Streets have remained safe because so much effort by officers of the Sheriff’s Office goes into stopping street corner drug-dealing, he said. “If you are dealing an ounce or a pound we handle it the same way.’’

A guiding principle has been don’t let dealers establish a turf and there won’t be drug turf wars like those that have led to so many killings in other parishes, the sheriff said.

The sheriff also said he is proud of several other developments over the years, including

• There hasn’t been a police officer murdered in the line of duty in his tenure.
• There also hasn’t been a sustained civil rights complaint against the Sheriff’s Office.
• The re-opening of the adult prison and juvenile detention center after the hurricane was extremely important for law enforcement in St. Bernard Parish. When there was no way to hold juvenile offenders and many were released to the custody of parents or guardians directly after the storm there were numerous problems with youngsters involved in burglaries, thefts and drug-dealing. Those problems decreased severely when the juvenile center opened, the sheriff said.

	The sheriff with JoAnn Lane, head of the Civil Division; and Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann at the awards luncheon

• Brought professionalism to a suburban Sheriff’s Office

• Started up a network of sheriff’s sub-stations at all parish lines to help protect St. Bernard’s borders

• Established an Internal Affairs Division

• Started the first holiday ride home program in the New Orleans area to help prevent drinking-and-driving

• Tripled the number of law enforcement personnel in his department

• Created the Neighborhood Watch program to fight crime and Citizens Police Academy to teach residents basic operational procedures of the Sheriff’s Office and court system

• Established dope and traffic hotlines to battle drug-dealers and traffic violators

• Opened a 24-hour shelter for victims of domestic violence and has established a full-time domestic violence detective slot to handle follow-up investigations in domestic violence cases.

• Established the Sheriff’s Office as an active member of Crimestoppers to give incentives for people to report leads in unsolved crimes

• Oversaw the largest seizure ever of illegal drugs in St. Bernard in 1991, more than two tons of cocaine valued at $1 billion.

Mar 21, 2011 - St. Bernard residents anxious to avoid being a crime victim both away from the parish or inside should start by “being aware of your surroundings’’ when out in public, Sheriff’s Capt. Charles Borchers told groups in two classes of the new free program “Refuse to be a Victim.’’ 

Seminars concentrate on improving personal safety strategies.

The Sheriff’s Office will hold new classes at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24 and at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, both at Nunez Community College in Chalmette. St. Bernard residents can register by calling Borchers at (504) 278-7628.

“It’s mostly common sense ideas’’ that some people may already carry out, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said in endorsing the course. “This is another initiative from our department we believe can help residents to prevent being victimized.”

Borchers, crime prevention director and head of the sheriff’s Neighborhood Watch programs for the Sheriff’s Office, said people should give thought to personal safety when out in public as well as at home. “You have to have a plan,’’ he said.

Always call the Sheriff’s Office at 271-2501 if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, he said.

Use strong locks and peep holes on home doors, Borchers said. Light-timers, alarm systems, video surveillance systems and motion lights are all good anti-crime strategies at home.

Never leave empty boxes out in front of your home for garbage pick-up because it advertises what new items people have bought and have inside their residence, Borchers said. Instead, cut up boxes and place them inside plastic bags and put the whole thing in mini-dumpsters.

When out and about, easily purchased pepper spray with a clip is available so that it can be kept on a safety belt in a vehicle or inside a purse, he said. Even a loud whistle on a key chain is a good idea for people to have for personal protection.

If someone wants to carry a gun in their vehicle it’s legal as an extension of your residence, Borchers said, but to carry it outside on your person a permit is required, as well as weapons safety training by a certified instructor.

When parking a vehicle at a shopping center don’t settle for the first parking spot. If at night, find one with the best lighting available and look around for suspicious people before getting out or going back to the vehicle, he said. Women should be extra careful about carrying purses, for instance place it on a shoulder rather than swinging it from an arm where someone can easily grab it and run, Borchers said. Especially vulnerable times are when someone is walking while carrying bags and trying to handle young children at the same time, he said.

“We have to watch out for each other as well as possible,’’ Borchers said. If you go out of town, have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail daily. If you have more than one car leave one in the driveway or, again, invite a neighbor to park a vehicle there – all of which gives the appearance someone is home, Borchers said.

“Please don’t leave a message on your home phone saying you are away,’’ Borchers said. “And watch who you tell you are going away.’’

When in another city don’t carry much cash and don’t tell everyone you see that you are on vacation because they will believe you have extra cash and may also look for any cameras, laptop computers, etc., which vacationers are prone to carry, he said.

“Don’t give the appearance you are a tourist. If driving, consider throwing a ball cap in the back window from a local team so you look like you live there,’’ Borchers said.

And if staying in a motel or hotel use an added lock on the door.

Mar 20, 2011 - A New Orleans man was killed and his younger brother is missing in a boating accident Saturday, March 19, in Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish waters, with the incident under investigation by state Wildlife and Fisheries Department, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and the Coast Guard.

Authorities believe the accident, which happened about 3:30 p.m. as the two were fishing, was the result of a mechanical problem on their boat, rather than a crash, according to sheriff’s officials on the scene.

Both victims were apparently ejected from the craft, with one injured and later pronounced dead after being taken to Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans. The other man was missing. A search was halted Saturday night and resumed on Sunday, March 20.

Neither man was wearing a flotation device, authorities said.

Alvin Anderson, 63, no address available, was killed in the incident, officials said. Mark Anderson, 53, his brother, also no address available, is unaccounted for, authorities said.

The accident happened near the Mississippi River – Gulf Outlet in eastern St. Bernard Parish, nearby the ruins of the historic Martello Castle, a fort built in the 1800s as an outpost against possible foreign invasion of the area.

Two fishermen in another boat, one related to the victims,  saw Alvin Anderson in the water and stopped to help, authorities said.

He had suffered injuries when thrown from the boat, possibly from the propeller, and was initially unresponsive. The relative who found him performed CPR but Alvin Anderson was pronounced dead after being taken to the Gulf Outlet Marina on Bayou Bienvenue in Chalmette and transferred to Tulane Medical Center.

There wasn’t any information available on when an autopsy would be done to determine cause of death.

Frederick Blue, 24. Wanted in St. Bernard Parish for aggravated burglary; holding a gun on ex-girlfriend and beating her in her home

Mar 19, 2011 - A man who broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in St. Bernard Parish, held a gun on her and beat her with his fists before fleeing is wanted on a warrant charging aggravated burglary, St. Bernard Chief Sheriff’s Deputy James Pohlmann said.

Frederick Blue, 24, believed to be New Orleans, should be considered armed and is known to carry a Glock handgun with high capacity magazines, Pohlmann said.

Anyone with information on Blue’s whereabouts should call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111 and they could be eligible for a reward or the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501.

An arrest warrant signed by a judge has been issued for Blue on the charge of aggravated burglary, which took place at the home of his ex-girlfriend in Violet the night of March 8.

Pohlmann said Blue, who been asked to leave her home by the woman, returned within days, forced his way through a window after tearing off a screen, grabbed the woman by her throat and dragged her in her home. 

She broke free and ran through the residence, Pohlmann said, but Blue pulled a handgun and pointed it at her. He again grabbed her, threw her on a sofa and he struck her on both sides of the head with closed fists, Pohlmann said. Blue finally fled through a door.

Blue may be staying in eastern New Orleans, authorities said.

Mar 16, 2011 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Spicuzza was arrested on a charge of simple rape of a woman he knew who sought a ride home from him when he was off-duty in New Orleans March 5, claiming he brought her to his residence and raped her, Sheriff Jack A. Stephens said.

Spicuzza, 37, a 10-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office assigned to the Traffic Division, surrendered Wednesday to sheriff’s officials after being informed a judge had signed a warrant for his arrest, the sheriff said. Bond of $50,000 was set by a judge and Spicuzza was expected to put up a property bond and be freed.

The warrant was sought after an investigation into a report by the 28-year-old Chalmette woman that Spicuzza had unwilling sex with her. Spicuzza maintained the actions were consensual. There weren’t any allegations of use of force, Sheriff Stephens said.

The officer was booked with simple rape, which the sheriff said covers cases in which someone allegedly takes advantage of another person who may be incapacitated or otherwise impaired to the point they would be unable to give consent to having sex.

Spicuzza was placed on administrative leave after the woman called the Sheriff’s Office March 12, nearly a week after the incident, and reported she had been raped, the sheriff said.

Spicuzza was terminated from the Sheriff’s office by the sheriff after his arrest.

“It’s a serious allegation,’’ Sheriff Stephens said.

“An investigation began as soon as she made the complaint’’ of being raped, he said. “We moved as expeditiously as possible’’ in the investigation that resulted in the arrest.

The woman said she attended a Carnival extravaganza in New Orleans with a friend the night of March 5, where she drank alcohol beverages. Concurrently she uses prescription medicine for anxiety and depression, she told investigators.

She said in a sheriff’s incident report she ended up needing a ride home to St. Bernard Parish from the Carnival event because she wanted to leave early. She saw Spicuzza –whom she knew - as he was leaving and asked him for a ride to her residence, the sheriff’s report said. Spicuzza had been attending separately and wasn’t with the woman at the party, the sheriff said.

She said she had phoned her fiancé who was home with her children to ask him to come get her but, after speaking with Spicuzza, whom the fiancé also knew, she called back and told him Spicuzza would be bringing her to her residence, the sheriff said.

She also said in the sheriff’s report she doesn’t remember the ride back to St. Bernard, maintaining she lost consciousness, but said she remembers going to an unknown address in Poydras with Spicuzza. She also said she recalls waking up in a bed with him having sex with her. She then remembers Spicuzza bringing her back to her residence, according to the report.

The woman acknowledged she didn’t tell her fiancé about the alleged incident with Spicuzza for several days.

The fiancé told the Sheriff’s Office he learned of the alleged rape the night of March 11. She called the Sheriff’s Office the next day and an investigation began at that time, Sheriff Stephens said.

Mar 11, 2011 - Three Violet men, all in their late teens, were caught by sheriff’s deputies in a chase only moments after leaving a Violet residence they burglarized and all were also booked in a break-in earlier the same day, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

He said all the property taken in the burglary solved immediately was recovered inside a red Jeep Liberty after the driver swerved it into a ditch at Licciardi Lane and East Judge Perez Drive, following a pursuit that included him going the wrong way against traffic on the major highway.

“It was a perfect example of what we tell Neighborhood Watch groups all the time,’’ Pohlmann said after the mid-afternoon arrests on Friday, March 4. “Always report suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s office in a timely manner because there is a good chance we can catch criminals in the act or shortly afterward.’’

Pohlmann credited the arrests to a quick call to authorities by neighbors who saw three men in the back yard of a residence in the 2800 block of Tara Drive where the burglary occurred and to quick action by deputies who responded to the burglary in progress.

Recovered were a 42-inch flat-screen screen television, a laptop computer, a Playstation 3, music CDs and other items.

Booked with burglary were the driver, Desmond Brown, 18, 6408 Fourth St; Marvin Walker, 19, 6535 Jules Brown Drive; and Trey Nelson, 18, 6311 First St.

Brown was also booked with aggravated flight from officers, resisting arrest and reckless operation of a vehicle. Nelson was also booked with criminal damage over $500 to a sheriff’s patrol car after his initial arrest and Walker was also booked with resisting arrest.  All were being held in lieu of bond in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Patrol Division officers involved in responding to the burglary-in-progress, the chase and in struggles with the fleeing suspects before the arrests included Sgt. Stephen Ingargiola, Cpl. Eugene Higgins and Sheriff’s Deputies Jules Henry, Reginald Crayton and Brett Perez. The Patrol Division is commanded by Maj. Mark Poche.

Brown tried to avoid arrest by turning onto various streets in the area, by driving west-bound in an east-bound lane of East Judge Perez Drive and by trying to turn south onto Licciardi Lane, where he lost control in a grassy area and drove into a ditch which stopped the vehicle, Pohlmann said.

After further investigation by sheriff’s detectives, all three were also booked several days later on a second burglary charge, involving a home break-in earlier that same day on Colonial Drive in Violet in which a red vehicle was also involved. Property from the earliest burglary hasn’t been recovered but an investigation is continuing and at least one other person may be involved, Pohlmann said.

The neighbor who saw the men in the back yard of the Tara Drive home also saw one person throw a flat-screen TV over a fence. A second neighbor saw one of the men run from the back yard. Another person saw the Red Jeep Liberty on Tara Drive cut through an empty lot to Guerra Drive, where Deputy Higgins spotted the vehicle and the pursuit began.

Mar 11, 2011 - Nearly four grams of heroin with a street value of $1,200 was seized in Chalmette, along with 7 grams of crack and powdered cocaine in two cases in which five people were arrested, Sheriff Jack A. Stephens said.

In the main case, two men and a woman, all from New Orleans, were caught in a vehicle on March 4 with the four grams of heroin contained in five bags of a tan-colored powder substance, 2 grams of crack cocaine and 1.7 grams of powdered cocaine, the sheriff said. The cocaine was worth about $350.

Ketrea Jones, 31, 4793 Citrus Drive, who was the driver of the vehicle that was stopped; Eric Bernard, 39, 6001 Downman Road; and Chiemere Theard, 2362 N. Tonti St., were all booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin, crack and the powdered cocaine.

All three are being held in lieu of bond in St. Bernard Parish Prison. Jones is jailed on a $75,000 bond and the others on bonds of $35,000 each.

In the other arrests, Derich Hentze, 36, 3009 E. St. Bernard Highway, Violet; and Michael Thornton, 25, 4042 Frederick St., New Orleans, were both booked March 9 with possession with intent to distribute 3.2 grams of crack cocaine, worth more than $300.

They were stopped in a vehicle in Chalmette. Both were jailed in St. Bernard Parish prison but no bond information was available.

The two sets of narcotics arrests were made by agents of the sheriff’s Special Investigations Division, commanded by Col. Chad Clark.

Anyone with information on illegal drug activity in St. Bernard Parish can report it three ways: by calling the sheriff’s drug hotline at (504) 271-DOPE and leave an anonymous message; or e-mail information to sbsonarcotics@sbso.org; or send a text message by dialing 274637, with the word CRIMES in parentheses after the number. For instance, 274637 (CRIMES). In the subject box it should say SBSOTIPS.

Mar 10, 2011 - A 27-year-old New Orleans man who was part of a crew working on a house in Violet died of apparent electrocution on Tuesday, March 8, when an electrical wire touched his face and one hand as he was under the structure, a sheriff’s report of the incident said.

Roberto Ruiz, 14211 Chef Menteur Highway, was pronounced dead on the scene of the accident, which happened in mid-afternoon at a house being worked on at 2925 Farmsite Road in Violet. Autopsy results to determine the cause of death were pending.

Co-workers at the scene said Ruiz, who was working for a construction company, had been under the house when a muffled scream was heard. It was believed the victim was moving a cinder block when an electrical wire touched his face and a hand.

Alert action by off-duty St. Bernard deputy and his wife, a St. Tammany deputy, lead to arrest of man on child porn charges after seeing him take inappropriate photos at a Slidell parade. STEVE CANNIZARO

Mar 6, 2011 - An off-duty St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputy and his wife, a St. Tammany deputy, helped arrest a man in a child pornography case after noticing him taking indecent pictures of a 5-year-old girl at a Slidell Carnival parade on Feb. 20.

Alert action by Sheriff’s Dep. Richard Skyles of the St. Bernard sheriff’s Corrections Division and his wife, Angee Skyles, led to the arrest of Patrick Walsh, 66, of Grand Isle. He is booked with eight counts of child pornography and 26 counts of video voyeurism. He is jailed in lieu of $1 million bond.

After Angee Skyles noticed Walsh taking pictures focusing on children in the crowd at the Perseus parade rather than the parade itself, she mentioned it to her husband, who said he saw Walsh photograph a young girl.

“She told me a guy with a camera ‘is giving me the creeps,’’’ Richard Skyles quoted his wife saying. “I started looking at him.

"He wasn't watching the parade, he was looking across the street" at a girl they later learned was 5-years-old, Richard Skyles said. "Every time she bent down, that's when the camera went up."

Skyles, a 3 ½- year veteran of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office and a former New Orleans police officer, said he grabbed for Walsh to stop him “but he got away.’’

Skyles alerted state Alcohol and Tobacco Control Capt. Jerry Jones, who was working at the parade to assist Slidell police.

Jones caught up with Walsh as he reached his truck and began questioning him as Walsh started to delete photos off the camera in his hands, Jones said.

After getting the camera from Walsh, Jones found it was filled with pictures of girls ages 5-10, he told Slidell police. Many of those pictures were lewd and focused on revealing moments, said Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith, who called the photos "disgusting."

A 9 mm handgun and a rope were found in the man’s truck and later, after he admitted during questioning that he views child porn, police got a search warrant for his home. They found stashes of child pornography, Slidell authorities said on Friday, March 4, announcing Walsh’s arrest.

Officials said additional obscene materials may be found as the investigation continues. Detectives believe Walsh's collection of child pornography, which includes items dated from the mid-1990s, includes images he took himself, although Smith said police haven’t identified any local children in photos or have any allegations Walsh has attempted to lure children.

From left, Capt. Robert Stone, of the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office; Pat Rooney, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Al West. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Sgt. Chris Scheeler, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Capt. Daniel Doucet, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office assemble beeping Easter eggs Feb. 22 at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired. Photo by permission of The Baton Rouge Advocate‏.

Mar 3, 2011 - Two St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies were among bomb technicians from around the state who gathered in Baton Rouge recently to make beeping, pulsating battery-operated objects  - but they weren’t explosive devices.

The officers were making beeping, electronic Easter eggs at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, which will allow children at the school to participate in a traditional Easter egg hunt.

Capt. Daniel Doucet and Sgt. Chris Scheeler, who are members of the St. Bernard sheriff’s bomb squad in addition to other duties, were among 17 bomb technicians from various police agencies who on Feb. 22 created four dozen special eggs.

The objects work off of a 9-volt battery and have speakers and a small switch on the bottom. When turned on, they beep and allow a visually impaired child to locate them.

Some of the children at the school came in while the officers were putting them together and some were turned on for them, Scheeler said.

“It was very interesting to see how they responded’’ to the ones that had been made, Scheeler said. “It was kind of a pulsating beep and the kids went to them by hearing the beeps.’’

“It was good to see the children happy.’’

Doucet also said it was interesting “when they showed the kids what we did.’’ He descried the eggs as having a high-pitched beep.

The event was sponsored by the International Association of Bomb
Technicians and Investigators. The program has been done in other states but was the first time the organization brought it to Louisiana
 

March 2, 2011 - UPDATE * UPDATE*  Dates of Tuesdays March 15 and May 24 from 8 a.m. to noon and Thursdays March 17 and May 26 from 5-9 p.m. have been set for the Sheriff’s Office to offer St. Bernard Parish residents a free 4-hour program called “Refuse to be a Crime Victim.’’

The seminar concentrates on improving personal safety strategies both at home and away.

St. Bernard Parish residents can call Capt. Charles Borchers, Crime Prevention Director for the Sheriff’s Office, at (504) 278-7628, to sign-up for the program. Morning and evening sessions are being provided for the convenience of parish residents.

Chief Deputy Sheriff Pohlmann said, “St. Bernard is the safest parish in the New Orleans area and we want to keep it that way. The “Refuse to be a Victim” program is another initiative from our department we believe can help residents to prevent being victimized.”

Pohlmann said, “It’s about personal safety tips and techniques you can learn to avoid potential dangerous situations both in St. Bernard and when you travel out of the parish for any purpose.’’

Borchers said experts contend the single most important step toward ensuring personal safety is making the decision to refuse to be a victim.

“That means that you must have an overall personal safety strategy in place before you need it to avoid dangerous situations and prevent criminal confrontations’’ Borchers said. “Some of it is as simple as being aware of your surroundings at all times.”

Borchers, who has trained to teach the course, said all materials needed will be provided free.
Topics covered in a typical seminar include:

• Psychology of Criminal Predators
• Mental Preparedness
• Home Security
• Physical Security
• Workplace Security
• Parents and Children From Pre-School to College
• Senior Citizens  • Automobile Security
• Out-Of-Town Travel Security
• Technological Security
• Self-Defense Training
• Stalking
• Persons With Physical Disabilities
• Domestic Violence

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