Three booked with burglary of a Chalmette house where they knew the occupant, who was in jail; Also, man arrested with $450 of crack cocaine

Kellie Roberts, booked with burglary and drug paraphernalia possession.	Ronald Hancock, booked with burglary and drug paraphernalia possession.
Ron Washington, booked with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana.	Thomas Freeman, booked with burglary and drug paraphernalia possession.

Two men and a woman, all from Chalmette, were booked with house burglary and drug paraphernalia possession the night of Feb. 9, just after a Chalmette resident reported seeing a door kicked open and people go inside, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

One of the three said they all had been to the residence before to use heroin and prescription drugs but said when the occupant wasn’t there the front door was kicked in, they went inside, but left without taking anything, the sheriff said. The occupant was jailed at the time in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Several syringes were found in their truck, which was stopped by Dep. Trey Delaune after a neighbor called the Sheriff’s Office to report a door kicked in on his block.

The neighbor identified two of the three as having been seen kicking in the door, the sheriff said. The occupant of the house, who was in jail for something unrelated, said she hadn’t given permission for anyone to be in her residence.

Deputies found shoe prints on the door and the door frame busted at the residence on Volpe Drive where the burglary happened.

Arrested were: Kellie Roberts, 38, 2608 Riverland Drive; Thomas Freeman, 49, 2320 Artillery Drive; and Ronald Hancock, 36, 1945 Seelos Drive.

All three were booked with burglary of an inhabited dwelling and possession of drug paraphernalia. Roberts remained jailed in lieu of $37,000 bond, Freeman was released on $26,000 bond and Hancock was also released on bond but the amount wasn’t available.

In an unrelated case, Ronald B. Washington, 22, of Kenner was booked Feb. 5 with possession with intent to distribute $450 of crack cocaine found in 10 individual baggies, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia after a traffic stop.

The marijuana was found during the traffic stop, the sheriff said, and crack cocaine was found in the rear of the sheriff’s patrol car where Washington was sitting when taken to St. Bernard Parish Prison. Washington also had $200 cash on him in small amounts.

Sgt. Brandon Licciardi made the initial traffic stop about 2 a.m. and Washington had an aroma of marijuana on his person and soon a bag of mariuana was found, for which he was arrested.

The crack cocaine was found afterward in the back of the car where Washington had been sitting.

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LA 39 (Claiborne Avenue): Judge Seeber Bridge Cleaning and Painting – State Project No. H.001200

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announces an update on the project to clean and paint the Judge Seeber (Claiborne Avenue) Bridge, a $4.8 million preservation project.

The contractor is currently working on touch-up painting, which should last through the project completion timeframe of mid-March. For the past few weeks, inclement weather has delayed the paint application process. Lane closures on the bridge will continue to be effect for the duration of the project.

The bridge is currently in the “down” position with one lane open in each direction for vehicular traffic. Marine traffic is passing through as scheduled.

All planned construction activities are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. DOTD appreciates the public’s continued patience and reminds motorists to please drive with caution through the construction zone and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

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Sheriff’s Det. Mark Tanner receives St. Bernard-Arabi Kiwanis Club Life-Saver Award for his work with a U.S. Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force

Taking part in the St. Bernard-Arabi Kiwanis Club’s presentation of its Life-Saver Award to Sheriff’s Det. Mark Tanner are, from left, Lt. Robert Broadhead, Col. John Doran, Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy, Kiwanis Life-Saver committee chairman Sam Catalanotto, Det. Tanner, his wife, Brittany; Kiwanis President Shirley Pechon, Det. Maj. Robert McNab and Det. Capt. Mark Jackson.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Det. Mark Tanner is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who fought in the Iraq War and has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2008, spending four years in the Patrol Division.

Now Tanner has been selected to receive the St. Bernard-Arabi Kiwanis Club’s Life-Saver Award for his work as a sheriff’s detective assigned to the U.S. Marshal’s Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force in New Orleans. He has been there since 2012.

The Kiwanis Club gives the award four times a year, twice to a parish sheriff’s deputy and twice to a firefighter.

Tanner and his wife, Brittany, were honored in a ceremony that included superiors at the Sheriff’s Office, Kiwanis club President Shirley Pechon and Sam Catalanotto, chairman of the Life-Saver Committee.

In presenting the award, Catalanotto said that more than 10 years ago the club started it as way to recognize first-responders in the parish for the work they do to protect the public.

“They are the first people through a door’’ to rescue someone in an emergency,’’ he said. “They put their lives on the line’’ for St. Bernard.

Tanner, who has been involved in the search and apprehension of hundreds of fugitives from multiple agencies in this region including felons who have fled St. Bernard Parish, thanked the Kiwanis Club, saying he felt honored to receive the Life-Saver award.

“I thank the Sheriff’s Office for allowing me to be on the task force.’’

Tanner also deflected credit for the work done in capturing fugitives who either left St. Bernard when wanted or have been found living here after fleeing other jurisdictions.

“I’m a chess piece in the game’’ of apprehending fugitives, Tanner said, adding that many people are responsible, starting with patrol deputies who initially handle calls about crimes.

Sheriff James Pohlmann has said, “Det. Tanner and the Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force has performed an important service helping keep this parish safe: finding fugitives who committed serious crimes here and rooting out criminals hiding in St. Bernard from law enforcement elsewhere.’’

The Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force has dealt with multiple cases from St. Bernard since Tanner has been assigned there.

Some of the bigger ones involving St. Bernard which Tanner and the task force handled last year included: tracking down a murder fugitive from St. Bernard who fled to Memphis last Spring, arresting a man in Oakland, Ca., wanted in the parish for attempted murder and robbery last June, and finding a woman in Violet last summer wanted as an accessory in a 2006 double murder in Tulsa, Okla.

Also, in January of this year the task force traced a man to Lafourche Parish who was wanted in St. Bernard for felony aggravated battery for beating a woman he knew with a metal bar until she was unconscious.

James “Fatt’’ Madison, 31, of New Orleans, was arrested in Memphis for second-degree murder in the killing of a New Orleans man in Chalmette last March.

Widner DeGruy, 21, a New Orleans rapper who performs as “Flow,’’ was arrested in Oakland last June for attempted first-degree murder and two counts of robbery for an incident involving two men in Chalmette.

Jacqueline Octavia Smith, 36, was arrested where she was living in Violet last summer and returned to Tulsa, Okla., where she was wanted as an accessory in a 2006 double murder of two women there. She had allegedly helped a man flee from Oklahoma who was wanted in the killings.

On Jan. 23, Marcel McCormick, 42, who had been living with a woman in Chalmette, was found in Lafourche Parish by the Marshal’s Task Force after he fled the parish after allegedly beating the woman with a metal bar during an argument. Madison, DeGruy and McCormick were taken to St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Tanner said he has enjoyed the fast pace of the investigations he has been involved with as well as the importance of finding the fugitives involved. The task force deals with warrants in serious felonies primarily including murder, robbery, sex crimes, battery and drugs.

“It’s dealing with a true offender, someone who has done something harmful to others,’’ Tanner said of the fugitive task force.

It is worthwhile to have St. Bernard represented on the task force, said Col. John Doran, chief of operations for the Sheriff’s Office.

“They bring the full resources of the Marshals Service’’ to tracking a fugitive, Col. Doran said. “They are known for getting their man.’’

Others representing the Sheriff’s Office at the ceremony included Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy, Maj. Robert McNab, commander of the Criminal Investigation Bureau; Det. Capt. Mark Jackson and Lt. Robert Broadhead.

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Former St. Bernard state judge and state legislator Manny Fernandez dies Saturday in St. Bernard Hospital

Manuel “Manny” Fernandez, retired St. Bernard Parish state 34th Judicial District Court Judge for 12 years and former state legislator, died early Saturday morning at St. Bernard Parish Hospital. He was 71.

Fernandez had entered the hospital on Thursday, Feb 6. Family members were making funeral arrangements Saturday at St. Bernard Memorial.

Fernandez served in all three branches of state government: legislative, executive and judicial. He served as Division B Judge in St. Bernard for 12 years, from 2001 until his retirement June 1, 2013. He was 104th District state representative from 1976 to 1988 and also was an assistant chief of staff to former Gov. Buddy Roemer.

“It was just time for me to move on,” he said after spending his last day as a sitting judge on May 31. “One of the things that I think is most important is knowing when it is time to move on, when it is time to say goodbye.”

In May 2001, Mr. Fernandez beat Sharon Williams by only 158 votes in a runoff to finish out the year left in Judge David Gorbaty’s term after Gorbaty was elected to an appeals court position. At that time, the judgeship race was called the closest in St. Bernard history.

But about 16 months later in October 2002, Fernandez easily won the seat, receiving more than 5,000 votes over his closest rival.

Last summer, Fernandez said that as a legislator he was most proud of helping to rewrite the law so that wives had equal management rights of community property.

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New Mobile Emergency Operations Center will lead two parades and a deputy on board will use the sheriff’s Facebook page to post live updates for the public

With parade season upcoming, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office will have two firsts: its new Mobile Emergency Operations Center will lead a Carnival parade and the Irish, Italian, Islenos parade, while a deputy on board will use the sheriff’s Facebook page to post live updates of parade locations.

“I look forward to showing our residents and others on the parade routes the Mobile Emergency Operations Center, or Command Post, we acquired last fall through a federal grant,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“Some of you may have seen it being driven through the parish for use during a tropical storm last October or at the Jerry Rathburn 911 Center in Chalmette. It suits our needs well as a command post and will become a fixture in parish parades.

“The new center will be the lead unit in both the 9th anniversary parade of the Knights of Nemesis, starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, and the Irish, Italian, Islenos parade at noon on Sunday, April 6,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The Operations Center will coordinate the running of the parades as well as road closings as it moves along the route, he said.

And, as the Operations Center rolls along Judge Perez Drive in both parades, inside the vehicle Capt. Angie Huff will post live updates on the parades’ location on the Sheriff’s Facebook page. Capt. Bret Bowen will be driving the Mobile Emergency Operations Center.

It’s the first time such live updates for the location of the beginning of a parade have been posted by the Sheriff’s Office. Also look at the sheriff’s Facebook page for updates on the latest news involving law enforcement in St. Bernard Parish.

“We hope people, especially children, find it to be fun and helpful to know when a parade will approach their location,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The Mobile Emergency Operations Center was acquired through a federal grant and was delivered in September 2013.

Retired New Orleans Saint fan favorite Deuce McAllister and current Saint player Will Smith have been named Celebrity Knights for the Knights of Nemesis Carnival parade, organization President Billy Showalter said.

The Irish, Italian, Islenos parade annually features throws of vegetables including cabbage, carrots and potatoes to the crowd, celebrating three cultures of the parish.

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State agency the Metropolitan Human Services District offers crisis help to St. Bernard residents for mental health support, battling addictions and respite care; Call (504) 826-2675; Sheriff’s Office supporting effort; Polly Campbell of St. Bernard now board chairperson

St. Bernard Parish families who are in a crisis of some sort, perhaps with family members feeling overwhelmed by problems and don’t know what services are available, can turn to a state agency with crisis teams just a phone call away at (504) 826-2675.

Perhaps little known, the Metropolitan Human Services District, MHSD, was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2003 and has been helping St. Bernard Parish residents. But officials are reaching out to the community to invite more participation.

Metropolitan offers help 24 hours a day for those in crisis, with response teams to make home visits if needed to provide support in areas including mental health, battling addictions and making arrangements for respite care. Callers have access to an immediate range of services including phone assessment, home visits if necessary and respite care beds.

You should call Metropolitan at (504) 826-2675 if you know someone in crisis, such as possibly being suicidal, or feeling overwhelmed, withdrawn or depressed and don’t know what to do or how to get services to help. Specifically it can be someone having a problem related to mental illness, developmental disability or alcohol, drug or gambling addiction. For non-crisis care and services call (504) 568-3130.

St. Bernard activist Polly Campbell of Meraux has been on the Metropolitan board about three years but has now become the agency’s first board chairperson who didn’t live in New Orleans. The Metropolitan Human services District was created to serve residents of Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

Campbell said, “I know St. Bernard families are impacted’’ by some of the problems the MHSD was created to help them with. “So many kids and adults need treatment so they can be functional members of the community instead of going to jail or to a hospital,” Campbell said.

“Services run from mental health support to substance abuse diagnosis and rehabilitation. “We can work with possibly suicidal young people and refer them to services.’’

“My goal.’’ Campbell said, “is to create awareness of all the services being offered so our community can take full advantage.

“People should call,’’ she said, adding it’s their tax dollars that are being used to make services available so they should use them when needed. It is a single point of entry for both crisis and non-crisis services, she said.

There is currently a clinic in a leased building in Arabi at 7407 West St. Bernard Highway but retired Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Calvin Johnson, who is now executive director of Metropolitan, said the agency is trying to open a permanent location. They are looking to buy and renovate a site in Arabi that has been closed since destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

“We will build a clinic there to cover mental health problems, addictions, developmental disabilities,’’ Johnson said.

Sheriff James Pohlmann recently met with Campbell, Johnson and other officials from the group, Genevieve Durkin and Kay Hunter.

The sheriff promised the department will work with the group and have sheriff’s deputies who are called to emergencies get out the word to families that they can call the Metropolitan Service District to seek help with a crisis. “First, we need to get the information out’’ to the families who need it, the sheriff said.

Johnson said, “We are trying to deal with people before their issues escalate into a police matter,’’ or they have to be taken to a hospital. There are many people in this area who have a behavioral problem or some other issue that this governmental entity is supposed to address.’’

Services provided to St. Bernard Parish residents include drug and alcohol addictions counseling and intensive outpatient services in Arabi, Johnson said. About 480 clients have been served since Jan. 1, 2011, he said. Bridge/Grace House in New Orleans has served roughly 50 St. Bernard residents in its residential treatment programs from 2011-2013. Odyssey House in New Orleans has treated 70 St. Bernard residents in its residential treatment program from 2011-2013.

Community treatment teams can deal with people at their homes, Johnson said.

“We are an agency recovering from Katrina but we have made great strides,’’ Johnson said of Metropolitan. In his six years as executive director, “We have started crisis response teams’’ that have worked to keep situations from escalating into people going to jail or a hospital because of personal problems, Johnson said,

MHSD meets the needs of local residents in three ways:

• First, it assesses needs to identify the best ways for you to receive support and services.
• Second, in some cases, direct services are provided through both MHSD clinics and MHSD-funded partner agencies.
• Third, there is an on-going effort with partners to evaluate, refine, and strengthen community supports and services to ensure residents are getting the highest quality, efficient care.

In most cases, crisis situations are resolved over the phone before they escalate.

• For situations that can’t be handled by phone there are home visits. In those cases, a crisis team will go wherever the person is—any time of the day or night—and provide support in person. Home visits can occur once or several times during a period of crisis.
• Respite care. For some in crisis, they need to spend a few days receiving around-the-clock, intensive care outside of their home environment. For those people, our team can make arrangements for them to receive respite care at a privately-run, home-like facility for up to 5 days.
• Emergency room care. We work very hard to keep people out of the hospital, but sometimes, callers to 504-826-2675 need emergency hospitalization. When that happens, our team will work with the patient and their family and friends to arrange for transportation and treatment at a local emergency room.

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