All four men now arrested in May 31 armed robbery of a pay-day loan business in Arabi: Last one found in Marrero

Arrests have now been made of all four men involved in a May 31 armed robbery of a pay-day loan business in Arabi, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The last man sought, Kevon Smith, 29, was arrested in Marrero on Friday by a U.S. Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force, to which a St. Bernard sheriff’s deputy is assigned. Smith will be transferred to St. Bernard Parish Prison from Jefferson Parish.

Smith has a lengthy criminal history which includes carjackings and kidnapping arrests, the sheriff said.

“It’s great news that four people who came from other parishes to rob a St. Bernard Parish business have all been arrested in less than two weeks,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The four arrests came one at a time beginning on June 7. The first arrest, by St. Bernard sheriff’s detectives, followed a tip and the others happened as information was developed on other suspects, the sheriff said.

Sheriff Pohlmann said he appreciated the work of the U.S. Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force in New Orleans which tracked down and arrested the last three suspects in other parishes. The sheriff said the task force, which St. Bernard Dep. Sheriff Mark Tanner is assigned to, is an invaluable resource for finding fugitives.

The third arrest came early June 12 when Mario O. Westbrook, 37, of New Orleans was taken into custody. He is being held in New Orleans.

The other two arrested in the robbery are Kendrick Wells, 36, captured June 10, and Rodrick Natteel, 36, arrested June 7 by St. Bernard sheriff’s detectives, who also recovered the getaway car used, the sheriff said.

Both Natteel and Wells are being held in St. Bernard Prison in lieu of bonds set at $200,000 each.

Three men, all carrying guns and covering their faces, entered the Cash Cow business in the 7500 block of West Judge Perez Drive in Arabi and demanded money, robbing the store and several customers, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

No one was injured.

A fourth man was involved as the driver of the getaway vehicle, the sheriff said.