Night Out Parties

The following locations will be hosting a neighborhood party for the annual Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, October 13th. Most parties begin at 6:30 PM.

PARTY HOST	ADDRESS
Jim Difatta	825 Terry Dr.
Ray Lauga	847 Friscoville Ave.
Roger Estopinal	1408 Center St.
Chad & Melissa O’neal	1706 Mehle St.
Jennifer Oesteriher	212 Mink Dr.
Mitch Perkins	#6 Brintney Pl
Henry Vandeborne	8508 Benjamin Dr.
Gale Gowland	25 W. Carmack Dr.
Chris Palazzalo	8441 Patricia DR.
Raymond Dautrive	3317 Park Blvd
Rose Mary Gioia	2909 Golden Dr
Pentecostal Church	2015 Palmisano
Brian Reaney	3816 Palmisano Blvd.
Ronnie Harwell / Judy Scaglione	3632 Corinne Dr.
Camile Thompson	2701 Marquez Dr.
Debbie Taffaro/Cindy Reynolds	2121 Etienne Dr.
Teri Pohlmann	3013 Rue Marcelle
Melanie Doan	2045 Landry Ct.
Errol Schultz	Entrance/ Deercreek
Rosetta Santiago	2409 Guerra Dr.
Kevin Gabriel	2911 Daniel Dr.
Ms. Jackson	3204 Oak Dr.
Ms. Domnick	2424 St. Matthew Cir.
Craig Dibiagas	2220 Centanni dr
Shakeith Ashby	2516 Riverbend Dr.
Linda Martin	#15 South Lake Ct.

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Man gets three life sentences and other years for aggravated kidnappings and armed robbery at a Chalmette pharmacy in 2014; One other defendant already serving life and two others await trial

A man who had been living in Chalmette was sentenced to three life sentences and other years for aggravated kidnappings and armed robbery at a Chalmette pharmacy in August 2014. Another defendant is already serving life and two others await trial.

Leonard Gibson, 44, arrested outside a Walgreens at Judge Perez Drive at Paris Road after the crimes, was convicted by a jury recently after prosecution by District Attorney Perry Nicosia’s office and was sentenced Oct. 6 by state District Judge Jeanne Nunez Juneau.

Gibson received life sentences without parole or probation for each of three convictions for aggravated kidnapping of two store employees and a customer in a take-over robbery in which they were forced into a room and threatened. The sentences were mandatory.

Gibson, also convicted of armed robbery and two counts of attempted armed robbery, received a total of 105 years in prison for those counts, according to court records.

The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently, meaning at the same time, rather than consecutively.

One other defendant in the robbery and kidnappings, Ben Amos, 28, is already serving a life sentence plus other years for his June jury conviction in the case.

Alleged getaway driver John Wilson and Quinita “Peaches’’ Harris, who worked at the Walgreens, lived with Gibson and allegedly helped orchestrate the robbery, are both jailed and await trial.

Both District Attorney Nicosia and Sheriff James Pohlmann applauded the convictions and sentences, saying they will send a strong message to would-be criminals.

A store employee secretly called the Sheriff’s Office while the robbery was in process about 4:30 a.m. and responding deputies quickly caught Amos and Gibson at the scene. Harris was arrested the next day and Wilson was arrested several days later.

No one was injured and the only item stolen was a cell phone from an employee, which was recovered. Two guns, two bandanas they wore over their faces, gloves and wraps they were using to try to tie up the victims were also recovered, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

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Chalmette 12-year boy caught with handgun in a book bag at a school

A 12-year-old Chalmette boy was caught with a handgun in his book bag at Andrew Jackson Middle School on Monday morning and had shown it to classmates but didn’t threaten anyone, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The boy, whose name wasn’t released because he is a minor, was being booked with introduction of a weapon into a school, the sheriff said.

The incident happened just after 10 a.m. Monday. School authorities were alerted to the gun after students saw it, Sheriff Pohlmann said, and the Sheriff’s Office was notified.

An investigation so far hasn’t uncovered any plan by the student to use the weapon at the school.

The boy apparently took a gun his mother owns, the sheriff said.

Authorities don’t have any record of the boy being arrested before in St. Bernard Parish.

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Body of man who apparently died of a self- inflicted gun shot found in Chalmette park

The body of a 53-year-old Chalmette man who apparently died of a self-inflicted gun shot was found in a Chalmette park early Monday morning, with a gun and a suicide note near him, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The man, whose name hasn’t been released, was found dead in Sidney Torres Park in Chalmette about 5:15 a.m. after a gunshot was heard, the sheriff said.

Joggers found the body and called the Sheriff’s Office. A gun was near the body and a suicide note was in a wallet on the ground, the sheriff said. The man had resided on a street near the park. An investigation is being conducted, the sheriff said.

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Members of the class of the Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy got up-close look at equipment and weapons the department has for fighting crime

Lt. Ray Theriot, seated, discusses weapons used by the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team to members of the current class of the Citizens Police Academy while Det. Sgt. Donald Johnson, standing, holds a gun used for firing gas canisters.	Gladys Thickstun of Meraux tries on a bomb suit helmet and behind her are Bomb Squad officers Capt. Daniel Doucet, at left, and Det. Ryan Melerine.
Several members of the class look at the department’s bomb robot, used to examine suspicious items at a distance from officers.	Class members pick up Bomb Squad equipment.
Capt. Bret Bowen discusses the department’s mobile command post with class members before they go inside.	Joni Schultz of Chalmette stands in the hatch of the SWAT armored truck.

Several people attending the Sheriff’s Office Citizens Police Academy said they had no idea the amount of resources, including equipment and weapons, the department has in its fight against crime.

The class of more than 35 parish residents got an up-close look at various department resources on Wednesday night. It included a bomb robot for checking out suspicious items, the bomb suit used by the Bomb Squad, SWAT emergency team equipment and its armored truck, the department’s mobile command post and a chemical weapon gun.

“I loved it,’’ said Lola Adams of Violet. She said she didn’t know the Sheriff’s Office had the type of equipment it demonstrated at the Citizens Police Academy class.

She was interested in the guns that were displayed. “I hunt and I liked that a lot.’’

Joni Schultz of Chalmette said she liked the bomb robot the Bomb Squad uses to inspect suspicious items that are found.

Much of the expensive equipment has come to the Sheriff’s office through grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The free Police Citizens Academy, which began in late August, runs through October and is geared toward residents learning about various aspects of law enforcement in the parish, allowing them to get answers to questions about how and why things are done.

More than 600 residents have taken the Citizens Police Academy course since its introduction in the late 1990s.

Sheriff James Pohlmann encourages residents to take part in the class or register for other free programs offered by the Sheriff’s Office by calling Capt. Charles Borchers at (504) 278-7628 or Dep. Eric Eilers at (504) 278-7799.

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Sheriff’s Office accepting applications for entry levels positions or from those with experience with another law enforcement agency

St. Bernard Parish residents interested in a career in law enforcement and in helping their community should consider applying for employment with the Sheriff’s Office, which is now accepting applications for entry level positions and from those with experience with another law enforcement agency.

“We are looking for applicants for our Corrections Division and Communications Division but also with the Patrol Division for those with past patrol experience with a law enforcement agency,’’ Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
The starting salary is $30,600.00

Benefits include health care and a pension fund
To qualify for a position with the Sheriff’s Office an applicant:
– Must live in St. Bernard Parish.
– Be able to pass a background check and a drug screen, both of which would be done on all applicants.
– Be at least 21 years old.
– Have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
Applicants can pick up an application Monday through Friday at the Sheriff’s Office Annex Building (2nd floor) at #2 Courthouse Square in Chalmette.
If you have any questions, call (504) 278-7628 or (504) 278-7799.

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