National Drug Take-Back Day is Sat., April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p. m; Residents can turn in expired or unwanted prescription drugs at Walgreens at Paris Road, where narcotics agents will dispose of them

National Drug Take-Back Day is on Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the continuation of an event which, locally, St. Bernard Parish’s Sheriff’s Office began in 2009, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

But there is something new this year which makes it easier and centrally located for residents to turn in their expired or unwanted medications so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Sheriff Pohlmann announces a partnership with Walgreens that will have two benefits for residents. They can conveniently bring in their unwanted prescription medications to the store at Paris Road and Judge Perez on April 27, where narcotics agents will collect and dispose of them.

An area for collection will be set up in the parking lot. There will also be displays from the Sheriff’s Office for children.

Also, Walgreens agreed to pass out fliers to their customers at both their St. Bernard Parish stores to inform them about the National Drug Take-Back Day and the partnership with the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Pohlmann said, “We appreciate Walgreens helping inform people about how to turn in unwanted medications and making room available to help us collect them on April 27.’’

It’s all part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Drug Take-Back Day. The Sheriff’s Office has participated in it after starting up its own take-back day in 2009 called “Operation Medicine Cabinet,’’ which encouraged residents to clean out their medicine cabinets of old prescription drugs.

“It is important people don’t let medications fall into the wrong hands to be abused or sold on the streets,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said, because studies show teens admit obtaining prescription medications from their parents’ home medicine cabinet or by stealing from other family members or at the houses of friends.

“You may save a young person from starting a life of drugs,’’ the sheriff said. Residents are also reminded they should call the sheriff’s 271-DOPE hot line to report any suspected illegal drug activity.

It isn’t necessary to bring back prescription bottles, just the medication, which can be brought in plastic or paper bags. Also, the sheriff said the national drug take-back day isn’t the only time medications can be turned in.

Residents can also call the 271-DOPE hotline at any time and leave a message about wanting to turn in prescription drugs and a Narcotics Unit agent will call them back to make arrangements for getting them so they can be destroyed.

Maj. Chad Clark, who heads the Special Investigations Division, started the Sheriff’s Office Operation Medicine Cabinet under then-Sheriff Jack Stephens and believes the drug take-back concept contributes to a lowering of overdoses and deaths from drugs.

He said the number of ODs in St. Bernard has dropped from 90, with 20 fatalities, in 2010 to 50 overdoses, with nine fatalities, in 2012. DEA estimates drug take-back days have removed nearly a million pounds of prescription medication nationally. Also, the DEA says non-medical use of prescription drugs now ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abused in America.

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Nine pounds of marijuana worth $65,000 and five guns seized in three arrests; N.O. area singer among arrested; 6 ½ pounds sent by package delivery

St. Bernard Parish authorities continue to make large-scale marijuana arrests, particularly for the expensive, high potent kind, and are seeing guns associated with such arrests, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“And we are seeing that the larger the amount of marijuana, the more we are seeing guns in the arrests,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Since the first week of March, guns have been found five times, including a shotgun, when sizeable amounts of marijuana were seized.

Brett Scipio, 30, a New Orleans area singer who performs under the name Weedy, was one of five people arrested in one operation involving five pounds of marijuana. A handgun was found in a vehicle Scipio and another man were stopped in. Scipio’s two juvenile children were also inside. Another handgun was in the home of a third man where the marijuana was delivered.

Five guns were seized in three cases in eight days, from April 3 to April 11, and nine pounds of marijuana worth $65,000 on the streets was confiscated. With two of the three busts – totaling 6 ½ pounds of the potent variety – the marijuana was sent to Chalmette by package delivery.

“We are recently finding larger amounts of marijuana and in a higher potency than we have normally seen,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “These arrests come only weeks after we had a 10-pound marijuana arrest and a 2 1/2 – pound marijuana arrests in March.

“That goes against the opinion of some who ask, ‘What’s the harm in a little marijuana?’’ the sheriff said. “When guns are being used by dealers to protect their drugs, then obviously it is more than just a little thing. We don’t want people killing each other over drugs. That’s why we work to take the dope off the streets.”

Agents from the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Division, which includes the Narcotics Unit, made the arrests. The biggest was the five pounds of potent marijuana worth some $45,000 that was seized after being sent from Oakland, Calif., to a Chalmette house, the sheriff said.

Scipio, three other men and a woman were arrested in that case and two guns taken on April 3, Sheriff Pohlmann said. Several of the suspects are from the West Bank of Jefferson Parish but had set up operations in Chalmette.

Scipio, who is from the West Bank and had a CD release party in New Orleans performing as Weedy last December 12 on his 30th birthday, listed himself as unemployed when arrested and gave a Chalmette address, 3612 Despaux Drive. He has been released on $37,000 bond from St. Bernard Parish Prison.

The arrest wasn’t immediately released as authorities looked into who sent the package, with the marijuana encased in a vacuum-sealed bag. No other arrest has been made.

Scipio, Kevin Miller, 32 of Gretna, and Levi Arnold, 26, 303 E. Liberaux St., Chalmette, where the marijuana had been delivered by a package delivery service – were all booked with possession with intent to distribute the five pounds.

Scipio and Miller were also booked with possession of a firearm while in possession of the marijuana and possession of a controlled, dangerous substance in the presence of juveniles. Arnold was also booked with a similar firearms charge after a handgun was found in his home along with a small amount of marijuana, separate from the five pounds.

The other two suspects, Robert Williams, 30, and Naticole January, 27, live together in Chalmette and were booked with the same charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. But oddly, not for the five pounds but rather for having in their Chalmette residence 35 bags containing about 1.5 ounces total of marijuana, separate from the five pounds. Williams also was booked with being an accessory in the five-pound case.

“We identified and dismantled a drug-trafficking organization consisting of the five individuals,’’ said Maj, Chad Clark, head of SID. He said the five apparently came to Chalmette expressly to set up shop to receive high-grade marijuana, getting perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars of marijuana.

“This was the type of organization that could have disrupted this entire community,’’ Clark said. “Now it is up to the judges and prosecutors to put them in prison.’’

Sheriff Pohlmann also said the department is looking closely at the use of package delivery companies and the mail system as means of bringing drugs to St. Bernard, adding that those businesses also put an emphasis on detecting drugs and cooperating with law enforcement.

“If you think you can get away for long with having drugs delivered to St. Bernard you are wrong,’’ the sheriff said.

In another case involving intercepting high-grade marijuana sent to Chalmette, one man was arrested with 1.6 pounds of marijuana worth up to $15,000 and he also ad three handguns and numerous pills.

After investigation, Tyrone Irby, 56, of 2101 Rosetta Drive, was arrested for possession with intent to distribute the marijuana.

In a case made the night of April 11, Martin Robin III, 33, of Florissant in eastern St. Bernard, was booked with possession with intent to distribute 2.6 pounds of marijuana worth $5,500 and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had $408 cash.

Robin was seen by narcotics agent pulling to the rear of a bank on West Bernard Highway after hours and they confronted him, the sheriff said.

Robin was found to have 19 plastic bags of marijuana and a digital scale. He later cooperated and said he had about two more pounds of marijuana at home, consenting to a search in which the drugs were found, along with a second scale and a smoking device,

He was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison. No bond information was available.

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Sheriff’s detective who noticed a man suspiciously looking over a shoulder as he walked to get into a car with two others solved a home burglary from minutes earlier and found 16 doses of heroin and a stolen TV

Cecil Martin

Lawrence Conway

A St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s detective noticed a man suspiciously looking over a shoulder as he walked to get into a car with two others on Thursday, shortly after an Arabi burglary in which a woman had been knocked down in her home.

Det. Steve Imbraguglio stopped the three on St. Claude Avenue in Arabi to investigate and ending up solving the burglary and seizing 16 dosage units of heroin in the car as well as recovering a television they had just stolen, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“That’s good police work,’’ the sheriff said, “when you solve a burglary and get heroin off the streets because the detective noticed something didn’t seem right about the man he saw getting into a car, plus he realized two of the men fit descriptions the victim gave of the burglars.’’ The woman victim was able to identify two of the suspects as the men who surprised her in her residence and threw her down while fleeing, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Lawrence Conway, 32, who had been living in the 7900 block of Patricia Street near the victim, and Cecil Martin, 21, and Rashad Bakewell, both of New Orleans, were all booked with aggravated burglary and possession of heroin with intent to distribute after their arrests about 12:25 p.m. Thursday, the sheriff said.

All the suspects have previous criminal histories and Bakewell was arrested in New Orleans on a murder charge in January, which apparently was later dismissed. All were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison.

The 21-year-old victim reported she heard someone knocking at her door but didn’t answer because she didn’t recognize who it was. She took a shower and when she walked out she saw men in the residence and one threw her down as they fled.

Imbraguglio was on the streets in Arabi after the aggravated burglary call came out when he saw one of the three men walking and looking over a shoulder as he was about to get into a car with the others, the sheriff said.

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Roast of retired Sheriff Jack A. Stephens held to benefit St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce

Sheriff’s Office representatives at a table.	Roast Master of Ceremonies and Chamber board member Joey Difatta, Sheriff James Pohlmann, retired Sheriff Jack A. Stephens; Chamber Board member Claudette Reuther, Chamber Vice-Chairwoman Cindi Meyer, Chamber Chairman Jerry Calcagno and Chamber board member Charlene Walch.
Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier, in a light-hearted moment, returns to Sheriff Stephens a pair of clean socks she said he gaver her in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.	Sheriff’s Office representatives at a table.

Any good chef will tell you a great way to cook is to roast something slowly at a low temperature until it is tender and soft.

And that is exactly what the roasters of retired St. Bernard Sheriff Jack A. Stephens did the night of April 4 in an event at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center to benefit the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce.

When the roast was complete, the roastee indeed had been slowly cooked and was tender, especially in his words describing how he missed the job of sheriff, the people he met and events he was a part of.

Sheriff’s Stephens served seven terms totaling 28 years and was the longest-serving sheriff in Louisiana when he retired June 30, 2012, and James Pohlmann, elected in November 2011, took over the post the next day.

Stephens, who seemed to get into the spirit of the evening, was roasted by his son, attorney Barrett Stephens, and Sheriff Pohlmann, along with special appearances by Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier and Tony Fernandez, the ex-sheriff’s cousin, long-time chief deputy and political confidante. Former Parish Council Chairman and Chamber board member Joseph DiFatta served as master of ceremonies.

Barrett Stephens spoke of growing up with a father who was the sheriff, referring in a dry style to the “moral role models’’ his father provided him in the form of some of the older sheriff’s deputies from the department whom he got to know around his home.

Barrett Stephens said he believes some of his first words were, “Don’t tell your mother.’’

But he said his father “was a great parent.’’

Schools head Doris Voitier spent time discussing how it was the disaster of Hurricane Katrina that gave her insight into Sheriff Stephens and brought them to a closer relationship.

She told one story of the hurricane involving the sheriff – when her feet were wet from a day of going through flood waters helping others – when it was Sheriff Stephens who gave her a dry pair of socks.

As many in the audience could have guessed what was coming, Voitier dangled a pair of clean, white sox at the retired sheriff and said she was returning them to him.

Fernandez laid out some of the political stories of his past with his cousin.

Sheriff Stephens’s successor, Sheriff Pohlmann, hit his old boss with some humorous one-liners, including saying that when you are in you are in and when you are out you are out. “Jack, you’re out,’’ he said.

Noting Sheriff Stephens’ recent work-out plan and weight loss, Sheriff Pohlmann said, “Jack, you look great. When you are out there’s no more free meals.’’

Getting serious, Sheriff Pohlmann told his former boss, “No one was faced with the challenges you were faced with in Hurricane Katrina’’ when the parish was flat on its back and law enforcement was put to the test.

When Jack Stephens had his turn to answer back his roasters he was philosophical at times, but compared the similarities of his two chief deputies in Fernandez and Pohlmann. “Both were so tight they squeaked’’ he said of them.

But he also noted that early on in his relationship with the now-Sheriff Pohlmann, “I saw signs in Jimmy of potential for leadership,’’ Stephens said, and said believes he is doing a good job. “Jimmy displayed a lot of courage during Hurricane Katrina.’’

Sheriff Stephens also said he is enjoying his retirement but in looking back at his old job, he admitted, “I enjoyed being sheriff. It was a very good job.’’

In early voting, the measure passed 1,297 votes for to 318 against.

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Inmate workers at the ARC

Sheriff’s Deputy James Harper and a crew of three trusty prisoners took part in the United Way Day of Caring at The Arc facility on Jean Lafitte Parkway in Chalmette on Friday, April 5.

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St. Bernard voters pass 15–mill property tax millage increase for Sheriff’s Office by 61-39 percent, or 2,390 to 1,531 votes

John Vickers, left, of the Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff James Pohlmann go over voting returns coming in at the Clerk of Court’s Office after the millage election, as deputies crowd the office awaiting results.

Sheriff Pohlmann, standing at right, applauds with others in the conference room at the Sheriff’s Office as they watch final results from the millage election flash on a television screen.

St. Bernard Parish voters resoundingly approved a 15-mill property tax increase Saturday for operation of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, with it winning approval 61-39 percent, or 2,390 votes to 1,531, including early voting.

“I want to thank the people of this parish,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said after the Clerk of Court announced the 15-mill property tax increase passed.

“We told you we needed an increase to keep up our level of service and maintain the safety of this parish the way you are accustomed to and you responded to our request,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“I think our residents understand the challenges to law enforcement and have a level of confidence that we can keep this parish safe,’’ the sheriff said.

He also told a large contingent of officers who turned out at the Sheriff’s Office and the Clerk of Court’s office to await the results that residents had shown confidence in the Sheriff’s Office.

“We now have more pressure on us to live up to expectations.’’

Money from the tax increase just approved won’t be available until property taxes due by Dec. 31 start coming in.

But the sheriff said he is committed to putting 12 new patrol deputies on the streets as soon as possible to keep up enforcement.

Sheriff Pohlmann had said before the millage election that more money was needed to keep from having to drastically reduce services and staffing

In asking for the new tax, which will bring in around $4.5 million annually for 10 years, the sheriff said he has worked hard to trim the sheriff’s budget since even before taking office last July 1.

Sheriff Pohlmann said he has cut about $2.5 million in spending, including a reduction of 50 employees, but that the office still runs at about a $2 million deficit, primarily because the parish’s tax base hasn’t sufficiently recovered from Hurricane Katrina nearly eight years ago.

Final results including early voting:

38 of 38 precincts	%	Votes
yes	61	2,390
No	39	1,531

In early voting, the measure passed 1,297 votes for to 318 against.

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Man and woman left two loaded handguns in vehicle with six children ages seven to just five months old as they shopped 20 minutes in a Chalmette store

A man and a woman who said they were homeless were arrested in Chalmette after they left two loaded handguns in a vehicle with their six children ages seven years to just five months old as they shopped 20 minutes in a store, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“This could have easily ended in a tragedy,’’ Pohlmann said. “To leave two loaded guns with your very young children in a parked car is the height of idiocy. Just leaving the kids alone, period, in a store parking lot at their ages was criminally negligent.’’

One gun was between the driver seat and the console and the other was between passenger seat and the console.

Sheriff Pohlmann said a number of adults are arrested each year for leaving young children alone in vehicles while they shop. Shelve Smith, 27, and Regina Lee, 24, who said they didn’t have a permanent address, were both booked with child desertion for leaving the minors unsupervised. The incident happened in mid-afternoon on April 1. The couple has since been released from jail on bond.

The children were released to a relative after the parents’ arrests.

A passer-by noticed the children alone in the vehicle and notified a sheriff’s deputy who was at the store working an off-duty, security detail, the sheriff said.

Other deputies who were called determined from store video surveillance that the youngsters had been alone 20 minutes before Smith and Lee returned to the vehicle, acknowledging the six were their children.

When the vehicle was impounded for safe keeping following the arrests, a mandatory search to inventory property revealed the loaded handguns, the sheriff said.

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Chalmette man booked with robbery of a service station in which an employee was threatened with a rifle; Suspect was out on bond for two prior arrests

A 36-year-old Chalmette man, out on bond for two other recent arrests including a burglary where he left his apartment key at the scene and one for drugs, was arrested for the early Easter morning armed robbery of a service station in which an employee was threatened with a rifle, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Robert Clark III, 2004 Culotta St., was arrested at his apartment late Tuesday night, April 2, and a crack pipe was recovered in a search authorized by a judge, the sheriff said.

Clark was booked with the 3:25 a.m. armed robbery of a Shell service station at Judge Perez at Paris Road on March 31 and he and Jaime Schlosser, 37, who lives with him, were both booked with possession of drug paraphernalia for the pipe possession.

Both are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Both had been booked with burglary of a Chalmette bar in mid-February after their apartment key was found there after the burglary and along with other evidence led to them, Sheriff Pohlmann said. Clark was also arrested in early March for illegal possession of prescription medication.

In the latest arrest, Shriff Pohlmann said, sheriff’s detectives, commanded by Maj. Robert McNab, developed information which led to Clark as the armed robber, who wore a mask and distinctive clothing while carrying a rifle. Neither the gun nor a mask have been recovered.

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Relay for Life event for cancer research to be held overnight April 6-7 in Torres Park, Chalmette; Sheriff Pohlmann and others took part in fund-raiser for one team in memory of a St. Bernard cancer victim

Relay For Life is the main volunteer-driven fundraising event of the American Cancer Society in which about 4 million Americans take part in some 5,000 communities each year.

In St. Bernard Parish, from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., Saturday April 6 through Sunday morning April 7, numerous teams of walkers will come together at Torres Park in Chalmette for Relay for Life to remember lost loved ones, celebrate survivors of cancer, increase cancer awareness and unite a community in the fight against the illness.

Kevin Hoffman of Arabi, Relay for Life event chairman for the Torres Park event, is encouraging people to form teams and come out for the night. “It draws attention to the fight being made against cancer.’’ It is the second time since Hurricane Katrina the event is being held in St. Bernard.

Teams can register by going to www.relayforlife.org/stbernard or by calling (504) 219-2293. There are currently nearly 30 teams registered for the Torres Park event.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann took part in a fund-raiser held recently to benefit the Cancer Society, which was in memory of Timothy E. Pritchard Sr. of Chalmette, who died in April 2012 after a 4-year fight with cancer.

Pritchard’s wife, Denise Pritchard, who is principal at N.P. Trist Middle School in Meraux, is captain of a team that will take part in Relay for Life.

Called Tim’s Team, Denise Pritchard said she saw the fund-raising event for the Cancer Society as a fitting way to honor the memory of her husband, especially since the April 6-7 weekend is the one-year anniversary of his death.

Tim’s Team has raised nearly $10,000 so far.

A fundraiser for Tim’s Team, which included a raffle and guest bartenders was held at Wimpy’s tavern on Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, with the site offered by owner Lori Cantrell, a friend of Tim Pritchard.

Proceeds from the night went to Tim’s Team for cancer research.

Guest bartenders included Sheriff Pohlmann, state District Judge Perry Nicosia, parish government attorney Jeanne Juneau and attorney Mike Ginart, a former Parish Council member.

Originating in the United States in 1985, the Relay For Life event has spread to 21 countries. They are held in local community venues such as a park or track, on campus at universities, or military bases, with teams taking part in walking around a track.

It is estimated that Relay For Life events have raised more than $3 billion since its inception.

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