Sheriff’s Office seizes about $900 of heroin, about $1,000 of high-grade marijuana, a gun and $2,359 in drug cash in separate arrests of two men

Edward Profit, booked with heroin.	Kirk Roche, booked with marijuana
14 bags of heroin worth $900.	Marijuana, $2,359 in cash seized and a seized gun

Two traffic stops by alert sheriff’s detectives and patrol deputies led to seizures of about $900 of heroin, about $1,000 of high-grade marijuana, a gun and $2,359 in drug cash in separate arrests of two men, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Edward Profit, 26, of New Orleans was a passenger in a vehicle whose driver was stopped March 18 by Dep. Ryan Lopez for not having proper equipment.

Profit was arrested with driver Edward Henry, 20, 2209 Guerra Drive, Violet, both booked with possession of a small amount of marijuana, and because Profit was wanted on an arrest warrant from another parish.

But when taken to St. Bernard Parish Prison, Profit was found by corrections officers to be concealing 7.3 grams of heroin worth about $900 in 14 bags inside a body cavity.

Profit was booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin and with introducing contraband into a penal facility, along with the warrant and marijuana count. He was being held without bond pending an appearance before a judge.

Henry, besides the marijuana and improper equipment on a vehicle charges, was booked with no driver’s license.

In an unrelated arrest, Kirk Roche, 23, 428 E. St. Avide St., Chalmette, was stopped for disregarding a stop sign by detectives Matt Arcement and Ryan Melerine on March 18.

Roche had a gun in the front seat and in the trunk had 16 small bags of high-grade marijuana totaling just over a half-ounce. Questioned by the detectives, Roche admitted he had more marijuana in his residence and allowed a search which turned up just over an ounce, with paraphernalia for packaging it for sale. There was also $2,359 cash seized as drug proceeds.

Roche was booked with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, with an estimated value of $1,000, with possession of a firearm in connection with a controlled dangerous substance, with traffic charges and an outstanding warrant. He was being held in jail in lieu of bond set at $7,500.

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Man wanted for murder in Houston arrested in Violet by St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies

A man wanted for murder in Houston was arrested in Violet by St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s duties on Wednesday night, March 18, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Darren Payne, 23, who had been living at 2120 Guerra Drive, Violet, was stopped and arrested about 7:30 p.m. as he drove a car in the 2500 block of Guerra.

Deputies David Culpepper and Richard Skyles made the arrest of Payne, who is from St. Bernard Parish and has a lengthy criminal history.

Deputies had been on the lookout for the vehicle Payne was driving after learning a warrant for his arrest on a murder charge was issued March 14 by Texas authorities.

St. Bernard officials didn’t have any details of the murder in Houston, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

As well as being taken into custody as a fugitive from Houston, Payne was also arrested on an outstanding warrant from St. Bernard on a 2013 bench warrant involving a narcotics charge, with not having a drivers’ license and on a traffic charge, the sheriff said.

Payne was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison to await disposition of the extradition process.

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Two men booked in auto burglaries, third booked with drugs in two incidents in Chalmette

Paul Ducote: Paul Ducote, booked with three auto burglaries

Alec St. Germain: Alec St. Germain, booked with one auto burglary and on drug counts

A night of partying in a Chalmette motel ended with one man arrested for three auto burglaries in two areas of Chalmette and a second man booked with one of the burglaries and on separate marijuana and prescription pill charges, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

A third man who had been at the party was booked solely on the drug possession charges, the sheriff said.

Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched recently at 6 a.m. to a motel in the 5300 block of Paris Road on a call of two men rummaging through vehicles in a parking lot.

One of them was seen entering a room at the motel after the incidents.

Sheriff’s deputies who went to the room were allowed in by an occupant and they immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana and saw a plastic bag containing five tablets of the prescription drug Xanax and a bag of marijuana on a table, the sheriff said. Another bag with 12 Xanax was found in a bathroom. There were also numerous empty alcohol beverage containers in the room.

The subject who opened the door was identified as Alec St. Germain, 19, 2036 Brigade Drive, Chalmette, and a man who was on a bed was identified as Nicholas Russell, 18, 58 Randazzo Drive, St. Bernard community.

They both denied owning the drugs and said three others had been in the room earlier that night, with all celebrating the birthday of a woman who had been there.

St. Germain admitted under questioning about the burglaries that he had been outside going through a truck with a subject he knew as P.J. who had been at the party in the room but had left afterward.

St. Germain was booked with one count of auto burglary and and counts of possession of marijuana and possession of the Xanax pills. He is being held in lieu of $10,000 bond in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Russell was booked on the marijuana and prescription pills counts and was being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $7,500 bond.

About an hour later, a man matching the clothing description of the suspect known as P.J. was spotted on Carroll Drive in Chalmette entering vehicles and pulling on door handles.

Responding deputies found Paul Ducote, 20, inside a car on Carroll Drive.

Ducote, who said he didn’t have a residence but listed an address of 24 Coffee Drive, Chalmette, admitted he had been going into vehicles to look for valuables. Ducote, when taken to jail, also admitted he had gone through a vehicle earlier that morning at the motel.

Ducote was booked with a total of three counts of simple burglary and was being held in lieu of bond of $7,500.

Sheriff Pohlmann reminded residents to lock up their vehicles when not in use, saying the great majority of such burglaries in St. Bernard involve unlocked cars and trucks.

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Antique Auto Club of St. Bernard gives donation to the Reserve Division of the Sheriff’s Office

The Antique Auto Club of St. Bernard recently made a donation to the Reserve Division of the Sheriff’s Office in appreciation for help given for its Cruise Night shows held in Chalmette, The club, which holds a monthly Cruise Night on a Saturday in the parking lot of Brewster’s Restaurant on West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, has more than 40 member familes and features vehicles 25 or more years old. Shown at the check presentation are, from left, Maj. Mark Poche, head of Special Operations for the Sheriff’s Office which includes the Reserve Division; club president Ricky Ragan Jr. and Capt. Charles Borchers, who coordinates the Reserve Division.

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Project Graduation held Spring Fun Run on Sunday at Torres Park as fundraiser for its annual alcohol-free party for Chalmette High seniors; Fire Department beat Sheriff’s Office in a tug-o-war during the event

The winning Fire Department team in the tug-of-war challenge with the Sheriff’s Office. Members included Mike Wolfe, Justin Sager, Josh Wolfe, Todd Michel, Aaron Sallean and Devin Murphy.	One of two Sheriff’s Office teams that took part, which included Lt.. Chip Englande, Lt. Justin Meyers, Cpl. Daniel Bostic and deputies Byron Shoemaker, Tommy Duplessis and Carlo Cacioppo.
The second of two Sheriff’s Offices teams which took part. including Capt. Adrian Chalona and deputies James Harper, Justin Topey, Trey Parks, Robert Mire and Richard Scheuermann.	Sheriff James Pohlmann and Fire Chief Thomas Stone before the tug of war.

The St. Bernard Coalition for Project Graduation held a Spring Fun Run fund-raiser at Toores Park on Sunday to support its annual alcohol-free night-long party May 14 for Chalmette High seniors directly after their graduation.

A special attraction following the run was a tug-o-war challenge between St. Bernard’s finest – the Sheriff’s Office vs. the Fire Department.

The firefighters, cheered on by Fire Chief Thomas Stone, got the best of the deputies, supported by Sheriff James Pohlmann, defeating them in the challenge.

Money from the fundraiser will help support the party for graduating seniors. Anyone who would like to contribute to the effort or volunteer time to supervise at the night-long party can call Project Graduation officials.

Please call Brenda Simpson, chairperson; at (504) 682-0753 or Paula St. Angelo at (504) 400-9298.

Checks and gift certificates may be mailed to:
Project Graduation.
P.O. Box 2251,
Chalmette, La., 70044.

Checks should be payable to Project Graduation.

Sheriff James Pohlmann said he supports Project Graduation and the effort it makes to provide an alcohol-free and drug-free party for graduating seniors. The Sheriff’s Office has a presence at the party and some deputies serve as volunteers.

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District Attorney Perry Nicosia discusses his new pre-trial diversion plan for first-time offenders with St. Bernard Community Anti-Drug Coalition

District Attorney Perry Nicosia discusses his new pre-trial diversion program with the St. Bernard Community Anti-Drug Coalition. Seated next to him is Jeannie Lannes of the parish school system.

District Attorney Perry Nicosia, center, was guest speaker at the St. Bernard Anti-Drug Coalition monthly meeting. At left is Polly Campbell, Program Director for the Coalition; and at right is Chairman Dan Schneider.

Saying a drug or alcohol dependency is often at the root of non-violent crimes, District Attorney Perry Nicosia outlined his new pre-trial diversion plan for first-time, non-violent offenders that would keep them from having a criminal record if they go through a set of steps to evaluate their problem and deal with it.

Speaking to the monthly meeting of the St. Bernard Community Anti-Drug Coalition, Nicosia said the diversion plan “will help people deal with a problem before they have a criminal record’’

It would be for those who “have a chemical addiction but aren’t really criminals,’ Nicosia said.

He also said his office will work to try to get in-patient and out-patient treatment services in St. Bernard Parish for people with drug and alcohol problems.

“It’s almost like a pre-trial probation,’’ Nicosia said of the pre-trial diversion program but the person has to agree to be evaluated, get treatment and counseling and be regularly drug-tested, It is giving them help instead of simply having them go through the criminal justice system and ending up with a record without working on the root problem that led to the criminal acts, he said.

“I feel we can use diversion to find out what their real problem is.’’

If they slip-up in the diversion program they lose the chance to have a case dismissed and, instead, go back into the system on the regular court docket to be adjudicated, the district attorney said.

“It is something we can hold over their heads before they have a criminal record,’’ said Nicosia, who began his term Jan. 1 after winning an election last fall following the retirement of long-term District Attorney Jack Rowley.

“You can dismiss a case on a first-time offender as a motivating factor for them to get the help they need,’’ Nicosia said.

The District Attorney’s office has been conferring with Sheriff James Pohlmann about use of the diversion program. Nicosia said an offender won’t be accepted into the program if there is objection by the Sheriff’s Office.

Diversion differs from the drug court program, in which a person first pleads guilty to a crime and then receives held if drugs were the cause of their criminal behavior.

An offender wouldn’t be eligible for diversion if they alaredy gave a criminal history, Nicosia said.

The non-profit St. Bernard Anti-Drug Coalition was formed with a goal of reducing illegal drug use in the parish and works towards developing community-wide programs and providing information on resources available for those looking for rehab help for themselves or others.

Sheriff Pohlmann and a cross section of government and school officials, as well as other professionals in the parish are members of the Coalition board.

The Coalition Chairman is Dan Schneider and Polly Campbell is program director for the group.

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N.O. man booked with bringing $200 of concealed heroin and $120 of marijuana into the St. Bernard Parish Prison when arrested on warrants from another parish

A New Orleans man brought $200 of concealed heroin and $120 of marijuana into the St. Bernard Parish Prison when arrested on warrants from another parish after a deputy saw him disregard a stop sign in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

A second man in the vehicle was caught with marijuana in the jail.

Renard Henry, 31, was booked March 4 with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, introduction of contraband into a penal facility, driving without a license and the traffic charge.

Henry, who was wanted on warrants for his arrest from Jefferson Parish, was stopped by Sheriff’s Dep. Brad Nuccio for disregarding a stop sign in Chalmette and was arrested.

At the jail, it was found Henry had a plastic bag in his underwear and inside were 12 plastic bags containing heroin, totaling about two grams, and five plastic bags containing marijuana, totaling about six grams, Sheriff Pohlmann said. The heroin was worth about $200 and the marijuana was worth $120.

Henry is being held in the prison in lieu of bond set at $25,000.

Arrested with Henry was a passenger, Stephen Harvey, 52, of New Orleans who was taken in because he had warrants for his arrest out of Gretna and New Orleans.

At the jail, it was found that Harvey had a small amount of marijuana hidden on him, the sheriff said. He was booked with possession of marijuana and introduction of contraband into a penal facility.

Harvey was being held in prison in lieu of bond set at $5,000.

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Sheriff’s Office investigating incident of two ice machines at a dock in eastern St. Bernard Parish being shot-gunned; Owners of business offering $1,000 reward for information leading

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident of two ice machines being shot-gunned at a dock at Yscloskey in the eastern part of the parish, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The owners of the business are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of the responsible person or persons, the sheriff said.

The incident was reported Feb. 27 by the owners of Rock N Dock, at 1711 Yscloskey Highway.

Blasts from shotguns appeared to have caused the damage to the ice machines, a sheriff’s report of the incident said.

Sheriff’s Office detectives have been assigned to do a follow-up investigation.
Anyone with information regarding a suspect or suspects should call the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.

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Boxing night in St. Bernard dedicated to the memory of the late District Attorney Jack Rowley, with Rowley family present

Night of boxing in St. Bernard Parish dedicated to the memory of District Attorney Jack Rowley, who died in November

Nearly 600 people turned out for the night of boxing called Hittin’ Hard “N” the Parish on Feb, 28 at Norman’s Boxing Gym in Arabi, with the special night dedicated to the memory of District Attorney Jack Rowley, who died in November after 35 years in office. Boxers from ages 8 to 24 took part. Norman Van Court, who operates the boxing program, said Jack Rowley had helped his father begin the boxing program and supported it throughout his life. Members of the Rowley family were present to receive a plaque and framed poster of the event. Family members there were Rowley’s wife, Elizabeth, son Jack Rowley Jr., his wife, Julie, and their daughter, Rebecca Schoen. Van Court is shown presenting the plaque as the family and numerous officials were on hand. Jack Rowley Jr. and his wife are shown with the framed poster of the boxing event and Sheriff James Pohlmann is shown talking with Van Court.

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