Archives: January2018

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division undergo armed intruder response training

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, run through an armed intruder response training drill at Chalmette Movies.	Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, perform an armed intruder drill at Chalmette Movies. Officers train throughout the year at various locations across the parish.
Capt. Bobby Norton, far right, and Lt. Daniel Bostic, second from right, give instruction to members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. team during an armed intruder drill at Chalmette Movies.	Sgt. Ryan Melerine, a member of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, operates the department’s bomb robot during an armed intruder training exercise held recently at a local business. These types of drills are held year-round throughout the parish.
Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, and the Bomb Squad, gear up in preparation for armed intruder training outside a local business in Chalmette. Training is held year-round at various locations throughout the parish	Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, make entry to Chalmette Movies during an armed intruder training exercise held recently.

Members of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division have been undergoing response training for various types of armed intruder situations, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

While everyone involved hopes these types of circumstances never have to be dealt with in St. Bernard, Sheriff Pohlmann said his department always trains for the possibilities.

“It’s a question of being prepared in advance for what could happen, while hoping it doesn’t happen,’’ the Sheriff said. “In today’s environment, it’s the preparation that’s the key.’’

Members of the SOD, which includes the Special Weapons and Tactics team, or S.W.A.T. team, and the Bomb Squad, receive this training year-round at various locations throughout the parish.

Under the direction of Capt. Bobby Norton, the SOD runs through various scenarios of how to best handle armed intruder situations.

“Our goal with this type of on-site training is to familiarize ourselves with the layouts of these buildings to be as prepared as possible should something like this occur,” said Capt. Norton, who is aided by S.W.A.T. assistant commander Capt. Ronnie Martin.

Keeping his team abreast of the latest trends in these types of occurrences is crucial, Capt. Norton said.

“It is imperative to run through these drills often for the safety of the public, and also for our officers who will be sent into these dangerous situations,” he said. “Training in the environments that we will be called out to if the need should arise helps us to know the inner workings of that particular building or business, giving us an advantage over the intruder.”

Members of SOD have trained recently at local schools, the movie theater and government buildings such as the parish courthouse and government complex.

“It’s good to physically go through a building and do it with repetition, acting out different scenarios, so officers are sure in their reactions and also to better work as a group,” Capt. Norton said.

Sheriff Pohlmann said he is proud of the work his department is doing in order to protect our parish.

“I am pleased with what is being accomplished,’’ the Sheriff said. “I am confident S.W.A.T. team members would work well together if there was an intruder situation.”

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office to conduct traffic safety enforcement patrols during Carnival season

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office received a grant in October 2017 from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to conduct additional traffic safety enforcement activities.

The grant allows the Sheriff’s Office to have deputies perform seat belt checks and DWI sobriety checkpoints at various times throughout the year.

Some of these additional patrols for impaired driver safety enforcement will be made throughout the parish during the 2018 Carnival season, between Feb. 2 and 14.

Sheriff James Pohlmann, who is a member of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, representing the 1st Congressional District, feels grants such as this one are an important tool for the Sheriff’s Office.

“These types of programs promote safety on our state roads and highway systems,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “Too many people are needlessly killed or injured each year in traffic accidents.”

The LHSC is responsible for developing and administering the state’s traffic safety program by cooperating with the federal government and other entities for the purpose of highway safety.

In addition to administering the state’s highway safety grants program, the LHSC also prepares highway safety plans; studies, evaluates and prepares statistics regarding motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths; and obtains federal funds for use within the state for highway safety purposes. Programs and projects are administered in accordance with uniform guidelines.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrests Marrero man for carjacking, monetary instrument abuse, resisting an officer

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrested a Marrero man after he tried to use counterfeit money to purchase a vehicle from a Chalmette woman, then stole her car after she realized the money was fake, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Jyrell Poole, 19, of the 5800 block of Glasco Drive, was booked Jan. 25 with carjacking, monetary instrument abuse and resisting an officer. He also was booked on two outstanding warrants out of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, one for simple criminal damage and the other for a traffic attachment.

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Jan. 25, Sheriff Pohlmann said, deputies responded to a call about a vehicle theft in the 900 block of East Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they met with a female who stated a man, later identified as Poole, had fled in her vehicle after he attempted to purchase it with counterfeit money.

According to the woman, she met Poole through an app called Let Go and they agreed to meet about him purchasing her vehicle.

The woman said Poole, who gave her a fake name, asked to test drive the vehicle, which she allowed him to do. Upon his return, the woman said, Poole agreed to make the purchase and produced a roll of cash that appeared to be counterfeit. When the woman attempted to get a better look at the money, she said a struggle ensued between them and Poole got into her vehicle and fled.

Sheriff Pohlmann said deputies located Poole inside the vehicle a short time later near the corner of West Judge Perez and De La Ronde drives in Chalmette. When deputies attempted to speak to Poole he fled on foot, but was apprehended after a brief chase.

Deputies recovered the vehicle and 46 fake $20 bills.

Poole was transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison where he is being held on a $41,000 bond.

Sheriff Pohlmann urges St. Bernard residents to use caution when using social media apps to buy and sell items from strangers.

“You should never go alone to meet someone you don’t know,” the Sheriff said. “Always bring a friend with you and choose a public meeting place such as a busy shopping center or gas station where others are sure to be around.”

Sheriff Pohlmann also discourages residents from getting into a vehicle with a stranger.

“If someone insists on test driving a vehicle, have them leave the keys to their car or something of value with you to ensure they will return,” the Sheriff said, “and ask to see some sort of proper identification from the individual.”

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrest four Violet residents, issue arrest warrant for fifth in connection with a shooting in Violet

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrested four Violet residents and has issued an arrest warrant for a fifth person in connection with a shooting that took place Jan. 21 on Daniel Drive in Violet, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Shortly after midnight on Jan. 21, Sheriff Pohlmann said, deputies responded to a call about an altercation between several individuals in the 3000 block of Daniel Drive.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they observed a man lying in the street suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper left side of his torso. The victim, a 25-year-old male from Violet, was transported to University Hospital where he underwent surgery and is listed as in critical condition.

Alvin Duplessis, 48, of the 2800 block of Daniel Drive, was booked with aggravated assault with a firearm.

Keisel Winsberry, 41, of the 2300 block of Licciardi Lane, was booked with aggravated battery.

Carolyn Richard, 53, of the 3100 block of Tara Drive, was booked with principal to attempted murder and public intoxication.

A 15-year-old juvenile from Violet also was booked in connection with the incident on an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault relative to disturbing the peace in a previous, unrelated incident.

Sheriff’s Office detectives have issued an arrest warrant for Damien Landry, 25, of the 3000 block of Daniel Drive, for attempted second degree murder in connection with the Daniel Drive shooting.

Landry was booked Jan. 23 in Alexandria for unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and is being held in the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office books Indiana man wanted on first degree murder charges with criminal damage to property

An Indiana man listed as a fugitive wanted for first degree murder was arrested for criminal damage to property for spray painting the floor of a Chalmette business, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Donovan Harris, 27, of a town called East Chicago in Indiana, was booked Jan. 13 after a store employee witnessed Harris spraying the floor of the paint department with various colors of spray paint.

Jeffery Taylor, 42, of the 4000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in New Orleans, and John Watler, 20, of the 2000 block of North Prieur Street in New Orleans, were seen spray painting the floor with Harris and also both were booked with criminal damage to property.

During the course of the investigation, Sheriff Pohlmann said, a criminal history check was conducted on the three suspects and it was learned Harris had a warrant for his arrest for first degree murder out of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana.

Harris was transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison to be booked accordingly and is awaiting extradition to Indiana.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrest Chalmette man for distribution of heroin, seize large amount of heroin, along with other narcotics and cash

During the course of an undercover investigation being conducted by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division Narcotics Unit, a Chalmette man was arrested for distribution of heroin, and a large amount of heroin was seized, along with other narcotics and $2,800 in cash, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Marvin Richards, 42, of the 3500 block of Marietta Street, was booked Jan. 11 with possession with the intent to distribute heroin, possession of marijuana, possession of Naloxone, possession of Lorazepam, possession of drug paraphernalia and no turn signal.

After Narcotics Unit agents obtained information through an anonymous source that Richards was distributing heroin in St. Bernard, they observed Richards make two separate hand-to-hand transactions with other individuals, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Following one of those transactions, agents observed Richards commit a traffic violation by failing to use hand or lamp signals during a turn and they performed a traffic stop on his vehicle.

During the traffic stop, Richards gave agents consent to search his vehicle at which time they recovered one clear plastic bag and seven individual bags containing a total of 17 grams of heroin, which has an approximate street value of $1,700.

Based on their findings, agents obtained a search warrant for Richards’ residence, where they recovered additional heroin, marijuana, Naloxone, Lorazepam, $2,800 in cash and drug paraphernalia, including clear plastic bags and three digital scales, the Sheriff said.

Richards is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of a $72,000 bond.

Sheriff Pohlmann reminds residents to call the Sheriff’s Office narcotics hotline at (504) 271-DOPE or 3673 to report suspected illegal drug activity in St. Bernard Parish. Callers can remain anonymous, and all calls will be acted upon.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office arrest Slidell man for distribution of marijuana, seize large amount of marijuana, two handguns and nearly $50,000 in cash

A Slidell man was arrested Jan. 19 and marijuana, a handgun and nearly $50,000 in cash were recovered after a deputy conducted a traffic stop on him for a speeding violation, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Garry Lee Crabbs III, 23, of the 4700 block of Pontchartrain Drive, was booked with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and a speed law violation.

On Jan. 19 shortly before 11 a.m., Sheriff Pohlmann said, a deputy with the Field Operations Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed along Paris Road in Chalmette.

During the traffic stop, the deputy noticed a strong aroma of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle and observed in plain view an ammunition magazine on the vehicle’s floorboard and a handgun protruding from under the driver’s seat.

A criminal history check was conducted on Crabbs which revealed he was on probation for a prior drug conviction for distribution of marijuana, the Sheriff said.

A search warrant was obtained for Crabbs’ vehicle and agents recovered more than 2 ounces of marijuana, $49,629 in cash, a .9mm handgun, a magazine, and six .9mm shell casings.

During the search, agents also recovered a card for a storage facility in Slidell, which Crabbs admitted belonged to a storage unit he was using to store additional marijuana and another handgun.

Working in cooperation with the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office, St. Bernard Narcotics Agents obtained and executed a search warrant on the storage unit where they recovered a safe containing more than 2 pounds of marijuana and a .9mm handgun.

Crabbs was transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison where he is being held in lieu of a $77,750 bond.

Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard awards four St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office deputies with Lifesaver Award

Four St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were recently awarded the Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi’s 2018 Lifesaver Award for their efforts in saving the lives of their fellow officers Lt. Ryan Laylle and Dep. Justin Topey following an ATV accident involving both men in September 2017. At a recent banquet held in their honor are, from left: Kiwanis Lifesaver Award Committee Chairman Sam Catalanotto, Sheriff James Pohlmann, Dep. Justin Topey, and honorees Sgt. Jessie Gernados, Lt. Raymond Theriot and Sgt. Byron Shoemaker. Not pictured is honoree Sgt. Emile Breaux and Lt. Laylle.

Lt. Raymond Theriot, Sgt. Emile Breaux, Sgt. Jessie Gernados and Sgt. Byron Shoemaker each received the accolade for their efforts in saving the lives of their fellow officers Lt. Ryan Laylle and Dep. Justin Topey following an ATV accident involving both men in September 2017.

The honorees were recognized Jan. 16 during a banquet at Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant Sicilian Room in Chalmette. Sheriff James Pohlmann, Col. Chad Clark and Col. Adolph Kreger also were in attendance.

On Sept. 13, Lt. Laylle and Dep. Topey, both members of the Corrections Division who work at the Parish Prison, were injured in an off-duty accident involving 4-wheelers which occurred on private property off Bayou Road in eastern St. Bernard Parish. Following the crash, both deputies were airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans where they both were treated for significant injuries.

Dep. Topey sustained a broken rib, a broken vertebrae in his neck, four broken bones in his face and a traumatic brain injury. He spent two weeks in the hospital, and nine weeks undergoing various types of therapy. Dep. Topey returned to duty on Dec. 12.

Lt. Laylle spent two days in the hospital and had multiple fractures in his face, and a broken jaw. He also returned to work in early December.

Sgt. Breaux, a member of the Corrections Division who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2010 and a close personal friend of Lt. Laylle and Dep. Topey, was with the two men at the time of the accident. Sgt. Breaux made the initial call to 911 to quickly get help to the men.

Sgt. Gernados, an officer since 2003 who currently works as a detective in the Criminal Investigations Bureau, was among the first to arrive the scene. She credits Sgt. Breaux with being in the right place at the right time.

“If he wouldn’t have been there with them, I truly believe the outcome would have been a lot worse,” she said.

Sgt. Gernados said she and Lt. Theriot, a 33-year veteran of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office who serves as the department’s range master and deputy director of training, tended to Dep. Topey and Lt. Laylle along with first responders from the St. Bernard Fire Department and Acadian Ambulance.

Sgt. Shoemaker, an eight-year veteran of the department who works as a detective in CIB and has 22 years of experience as a paramedic, assisted EMS in caring for the two deputies on the scene, helping prepare them to be airlifted to area hospitals.

Lt. Laylle, a 15-year member of the Sheriff’s Office, said he will forever be thankful to his fellow deputies for saving their lives that day.

“I’m so very grateful to them to be alive,” Lt. Laylle said. “You couldn’t ask for a better group of people to have been there helping us. Who knows what would have happened had they not been there so quickly.”

Dep. Topey, who began his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2009, echoes Lt. Laylle’s sentiment.

“It’s so great they are being recognized for what they did for us,” Dep. Topey said. “It’s so well-deserved. Words cannot express how grateful I am.”

Sam Catalanotto, chairman of the Kiwanis Lifesaver Award Committee, said the Kiwanis Club gives the award four times a year for special actions, twice to parish sheriff’s deputies and twice to firefighters.

The Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi meets every Tuesday at noon in the Sicilian Room at Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette. Anyone interested in joining Kiwanis is welcomed to attend. For more information, call (504) 616-7312.

Juvenile booked with attempted murder of a police officer, shot in hand after fleeing from deputies attempting to make a traffic stop

A New Orleans teen who recently moved to Chalmette was booked with attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated flight from an officer, possession of stolen property and simple criminal damage over $5,000 after he fled in a stolen car from an officer trying to conduct a traffic stop, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Shortly after 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17, Sheriff Pohlmann said, deputies attempted to stop a silver Toyota 4Runner driving without its lights on near the intersection of Patricia Street and Jupiter Drive in Chalmette.

The driver, later determined to be a 16-year-old juvenile, refused to stop and led deputies on a pursuit, speeding through a residential neighborhood.

As the suspect was fleeing, he exited the roadway along Jean Lafitte Parkway to avoid a spike strip laid out by a deputy in an attempt to end the pursuit, and drove onto the lawn of a residence near the corner of Patricia Street, nearly running over a deputy standing on the sidewalk.

The deputy fired at the vehicle as it careened toward him, striking the suspect in the hand, but he continued to flee, running over a fire hydrant in the process and eventually abandoning the vehicle in the parking lot of a nearby business on West Judge Perez Drive.

The suspect fled on foot, but was quickly apprehended by deputies. He was transported to University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, where he was treated and released for booking, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The vehicle was listed as stolen out of the New Orleans Police Department. The driver later admitted to carjacking the vehicle earlier that day from an elderly woman in New Orleans.

A passenger in the vehicle, the driver’s 14-year-old brother, also was booked for possession of stolen property.

The 16-year-old, who was wearing an ankle bracelet at the time of the incident for a previous charge out of New Orleans, also was booked for driving without headlamps and on five warrants out of NOPD.

The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with NOPD on this ongoing investigation and additional charges may be filed.

Both juveniles are being held in the St. Bernard Parish Juvenile Detention Center. The 16-year-old is being held on a $545,100 bond and the 14-year-old’s bond has been set at $10,000.

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Agents arrest two men for selling heroin out of Chalmette hotel room

A Metairie man and a man from Delta were both arrested Jan. 10 for selling illegal narcotics from a room they were renting at a Chalmette hotel, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Anthony Palavicini, 45, of the 3000 block of Houma Boulevard in Metairie, and Phillip Preis, 25, of the 500 block of Second Street in Delta, were both booked with possession with the intent to distribute heroin, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia after agents obtained a search warrant for their room.

Responding to a complaint from an anonymous source, St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Agents arrived shortly before 8 p.m. at a hotel on Paris Road where they came in contact with Palavicini and Preis outside of their room.

After smelling a strong odor of marijuana emitting from their room, Narcotics Agents obtained a search warrant. Once inside, Sheriff Pohlmann said, agents recovered two smoking devices containing burnt marijuana residue, six clear plastic bags containing a brown in color powder-like substance determined through field testing to be heroin, and one clear plastic bag containing a white powder-like substance which field tested positive to be cocaine. A scale also was recovered.

Palavicini and Preis were both transported to St. Bernard Parish Prison to be booked accordingly. Both are being held on $70,500 bonds.