Welcome to Your St. Bernard Sheriff's Office

Sheriff’s Office burglar gets 51 years in prison after pleading guilty; 2^nd man held in Tenn.

Aug. 27, 2008 - Clarence Fournier Jr., 56, arrested in the late May burglary of a St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office trailer in which guns, cash and narcotics were stolen, has been sentenced to 51 years in prison after pleading guilty in Chalmette to burglary and illegal possession of guns by a felon.

Fournier, who who has an extensive criminal history that includes spending 33 years in prison over his adult lifetime, was arrested in Metairie on June 5, with the cooperation of ...(Click Here to Read More)

Sheriff’s Office’s preparing for possible hurricane; Sheriff Stephens says public should make plans in case an evacuation is ordered

Aug 26, 2008 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens said his department is preparing for the possibility of Hurricane Gustav causing wind and rain problems for this area and added that parish residents should be planning what they will do if an evacuation order comes from Parish government.

“We are paying heavy attention to this and St. Bernard Parish residents should ...(Click Here to Read More)

Sheriff Stephens and Schools Superintendent Voitier tape anti-drug message for parents

Aug. 26, 2008 - Sounding a theme that parents should talk to their children about drugs because studies show that to be most effective in preventing drug use, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens and Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier have taped a public service message to run in 30-second segments on WDSU-TV in New Orleans which will soon to begin airing.

The segment, sponsored by the Partnership for Drug-Free America, will run through the end of the year at ...(Click Here to Read More)

St. Bernard Sheriff's Office Gives Out Sandbags in light of Possible Approach of Tropical Storm Fay

Aug 23, 2008 - Out of precaution for the possible approach Tropical Storm Fay, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, in cooperation with parish government, gave out sandbags on Saturday, August 23 to any parish resident who wanted them.

The Sheriff's Office has more than 40,000 sandbags ready for any water event in the parish. ...(Click Here to See the Pictures)

Chalmette couple leave infant home sleeping while allegedly burglarizing residence; second break-in solved as man found hiding in vent

Aug. 22, 2008 - A married Chalmette couple was arrested after they left their infant and another young child home alone sleeping while they allegedly broke into a residence several blocks away, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

The second break-in was solved after a man was found hiding in an air-conditioning vent and he and a woman were arrested, the sheriff said.

Jason Cain, 28, and his wife, Christy Cain, 29, both of 514 Chalmette Ave., were arrested just after midnight the morning of ...(Click Here to Read More)

Sheriff, Parish President and Schools Superintendent attended President Bush’s visit to Jackson Barracks

Aug. 21, 2008 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens, Parish President Craig Taffaro Jr. and Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier attended President Bush’s address at Jackson Barracks on Wednesday, Aug. 20, where he spoke about the upcoming third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina after flying by helicopter to Chalmette Battlefield and being escorted to the National Guard base.

“I had a chance to speak with the President,’’ Sheriff Stephens said.

“He seemed optimistic about the future of...(Click Here to Read More)

Chalmette man found with variety of drugs including heroin, crack cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana, and an assault rifle, handgun, cash, scales and plastic baggies for selling narcotics

Aug. 19, 2008 - A Chalmette man was arrested Aug. 17 after he was found with a variety of narcotics and weapons and there was evidence he had been processing crack cocaine at the residence where he was staying and, based on items recovered such as scales and baggies, he was likely selling it also, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Antonio Denson, 20, who was staying with the family of his girlfriend at 3320 Decomine St., was stopped for traffic violations in the 2800 block of Guerra Drive ...(Click Here to Read More)

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office to restart the popular Citizens Police Academy; residents can call 278-7628

The Citizens Police Academy, which was popular with St. Bernard Parish residents before the hurricane and is designed to open lines of communications between them and the Sheriff’s Office, will be restarted, with a class open for signing up, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Residents interested in participating in the free program which gives a first-hand look at the rules, regulations and ...(Click Here to Read More)

Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Preperations

In preparation for the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup on Friday, Aug. 15 through Sunday, Aug. 17 and the annual Feast of St. Bernard, including the Blessing of the Fleet, on Aug. 17, trusty inmates from the St. Bernard Parish Prison - under the watch of Deputy Bryan Cadzow ...(Click Here to Read More)

Sheriff Stephens & Gov Bobby Jindal

Sheriff Stephens inducted into Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in Aug. 1 ceremony

Thanking the men and women of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office for their work in keeping the parish safe in his 24 years in office, Sheriff Jack Stephens was inducted Friday, Aug. 1, into the prestigious Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in ceremonies in Baton Rouge. (Click Here to Read More)

Rocky Holmes

Former St. Bernard man wanted for two parish business burglaries caught in Slidell

A former St. Bernard resident who was wanted on two business burglaries in the parish has been caught in Slidell, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.
Rocky Holmes, 35, who formerly lived in St. Bernard but moved to the Slidell area ...(Click Here to Read More)

Seven arrested in 3 cases because of timely calls and information from witnesses

Timely calls and information from witnesses who see suspicious activity are continuing to result in arrests in St. Bernard Parish, including a total of seven recently in three cases of theft and possession of stolen property, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Anyone who sees something in their neighborhood that looks out of place should call the Sheriff’s Office at (Click Here to Read More)

Man arrested in forcible rape of 14-year-old girl who also contracted venereal disease from indicent

St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 24-year-old man wanted on a charge of forcible rape of a 14-year-old girl, who also contracted venereal disease from the incident, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Jonathan Hampton, also known as “Gentilly,’’ allegedly raped... (Click Here to Read More)

Sheriff’s Office testing boats and other equipment as well as stockpiling sandbags for residents in preparation for any emergency

With hurricane season in full swing, including several storms already having popped up in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s officials are continuing to test boats and other equipment as well as stockpiling sandbags for residents who may want them in case of an emergency, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

“Having taken the enormous hit from Hurricane Katrina in this parish, we intend... (Click Here to Read More)

Registered sex offender booked with attempted forcible rape of a Chalmette woman

A registered sex offender who served a prison sentence for a sex crime in the 1990s has been booked with attempted forcible rape of a Chalmette woman attacked in her vehicle July 20 after she left a Chalmette bar, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Rene Murrell, 33, of Hopedale in eastern St. Bernard, was arrested... (Click Here to Read More)

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office seeks man wanted for forcible rape of a 14-year-old girl who also contracted venereal disease from the incident

St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s officials are asking for the public’s help in finding a 24-year-old man wanted on a charge of forcible rape of a 14-year-old girl, who also contracted venereal disease from the incident and was hospitalized, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Jonathan Hampton, also known as “Gentilly,’’ allegedly raped a girl who lives in another state but was visiting relatives in eastern St. Bernard Parish, the sheriff said. Anyone with information on Hampton’s whereabouts should call the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271- 2501.

Sheriff Stephens said the girl reported the incident, which allegedly happened in Violet between July 5-17 at the home of a friend of a relative of the teen-ager, after she began having symptoms of venereal disease. The 14-year-old was hospitalized in Children’s Hospital but has been released, the sheriff said.

A judge has issued an arrest warrant charging Hampton with forcible rape of a minor.

Sheriff’s detectives with the Juvenile Division said they have information Hampton may be trying to leave the New Orleans area to get to New Mexico, where his mother has lived since the hurricane, the sheriff said.

Parish juvenile detention center opens for first time since hurricane;

now holding 11 minors

For the first time since the hurricane, Sheriff Jack Stephens’ department has opened the parish juvenile detention center, making it possible to hold criminal offenders who are minors, some of whom have committed crimes including burglary, theft and sale or possession of narcotics.

“I think one of our most urgent needs is to be able to hold juvenile offenders,’’ Sheriff Stephens said. “Now we have that ability again.’’

As more juveniles have become involved in crimes such as theft of copper wire from unoccupied houses and drug activity, the sheriff said, the logistics of trying to deal with them after an arrest had become daunting, the sheriff said. Without a juvenile detention center, some detainees had to be held in trailer offices with deputies guarding them, he said.

“We were making juvenile arrests with no place to keep them,’’ said St. Bernard Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann. Often juveniles had to be turned over to their parents because of not enough space to house them without a detention center, he said.

Fortunately, the Sheriff’s Office received cooperation from other agencies in the region for housing some offenders, Pohlmann said.

The hardest part in reopening the juvenile center, which didn’t flood or have serious structural damage in the hurricane, was “bringing in juvenile corrections officers, counselors and teachers,’’ Pohlmann said.

Employees in such a setting must have the required mixture of training and temperament to work with juveniles, Pohlmann said, plus St. Bernard’s ongoing hurricane recovery problems left quality of life issues such as locating housing ready to live in.

More than 20 employees are required in a juvenile detention center.

St. Bernard’s center, built in 1993 for about $6 million and located next to St. Bernard Parish Prison on Paris Road off West St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette, just recently began holding detainees again. It had been unoccupied for nearly three years since the hurricane.

There are now 11 juveniles there and it can hold a maximum of 36. The youngest detainee is now 14 years old.

The facility has a schoolroom with a computer lab for daily teaching, as well as televisions, books and an exercise area for recreation.

Lt. Andre Dominick, who has an extensive background in the sheriff’s detective division dealing with juveniles, is director of juvenile detention, which is under the overall leadership of Col. David Mowers, Director of Corrections including the St. Bernard Parish Prison for adult offenders.

St. Bernard Parish government owns both the Parish Prison and juvenile detention building.

Sheriff’s Office and Wildlife & Fisheries to hold hunter education classes 6-9 p.m. on Fri., July 25 and at 8 a.m. on Sat.,

July 26 at Courthouse

A free two-day course in hunter education, sponsored by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, will be held at the Parish Courthouse in Chalmette from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, July 25 and from 8 a.m. to completion on Saturday, July 26, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

No advance registration is needed but there is a minimum age of 10-years-old for persons to take the classes.

Participants must attend both days. After completing the course, they will receive a hunter safety card through the mail, which is necessary to obtain a hunting license.

The two-day course is taught by Lloyd Norton, who is a certified hunter education instructor for the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries.

Two other dates have also been set for offering free hunter education classes at the Courthouse in Chalmette: Friday, Aug. 22 and Saturday, 23 and Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11.

The Courthouse is located at 1101 West St. Bernard Highway.

Congressional delegation visits Chalmette on tour

of Hurricane Katrina-affected areas

Sheriff Jack Stephens and other sheriff’s officials met with about 10 U.S. Congress men and women who visited Chalmette on Saturday, July 19, as part of a tour of areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The group, which included St. Bernard’s U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, Louisiana’s newly elected U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux of New Roads and U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson of New Orleans, said they wanted to see how the recovery effort is going in hard-hit St. Bernard.

The congressional delegation, which also included representatives from West Virginia and California, visited the sheriff’s main compound on the road to the Port of St. Bernard in Chalmette.

Sheriff Stephens told the group the Sheriff’s Office is operating with fewer personnel but making as many arrests as when the parish had twice the population before the storm. “It’s tough sometimes,’’ he said.

But he said, “We are encouraged by what we see’’ in the parish’s recovery so far and hope for continued growth.

Sheriff Stephens added that despite what he called “extraordinary malfunctions’’ in the operation of the federal and state governments in the aftermath of the hurricane, including problems with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he has appreciated what Congress has done in the past for the Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff, however, asked the congressional visitors for help in getting continuing funding to operate the sheriff’s compound of trailer offices through the end of the year, explaining more time is needed to get back into regular offices, partially because of delays he feels have been caused by FENA representatives.

FEMA has given notice of discontinuing funding as of June 30, Sheriff Stephens said.

“We need to continue operating this camp,’’ Stephens said. “I’m asking for six months. We don’t think it’s unreasonable.’’

Melancon and other Congress men and women said efforts will be made to help the Sheriff’s Office, saying there isn’t a doubt the continued funding is justified.

Sheriff Stephens to be among nine inductees of Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame on Aug. 1

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens will be inducted Friday, Aug. 1 into the prestigious Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame, operated by the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum Foundation at Angola Prison, and honors individuals who have contributed to the state’s justice system.

“Sheriff Stephens is one of the greatest law enforcement officers in the South,’’ said Michael Wynne of Alexandria, chairman of the nominating committee for the Museum Foundation’s board of directors and a member of the board which chose nine individuals for induction into the Justice Hall of Fame.

“Sheriff Stephens was selected based on his outstanding record and reputation not only for working for law enforcement but for his help to the people of his parish during and after Hurricane Katrina,’’ Wynne said.

The Museum Foundation said of Stephens in making its announcement of its inductees: “Sheriff Stephens’ dedication and endurance during

the historic and unprecedented devastation of his parish . . . was both heroic and laudable.’’

Sheriff Stephens, who has visited Angola Prison but not the museum housing the Justice Hall of Fame, said the induction is “a great honor for anyone involved in law enforcement in this state. I’m flattered. It came as a surprise to me because I didn’t know I had been nominated.’’

In being inducted, the sheriff said, “I join some distinguished people who have earned their reputations for the work they have done.’’

And Stephens said that personally, “I see (the induction) as a tribute to the men and women of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office who make this parish as safe as possible, the people who work nights, weekends, holidays to make sure the violent crime that is all around us in other places doesn’t come to our parish.

“They have made more than a contribution to my receiving this honor. I share this with them.’’

Stephens, sheriff of St. Bernard since taking office in 1984 after his first election the previous year and was sworn in July 1 for his 7^th-term, is now the second-longest serving sheriff in the state, behind Orleans Civil Sheriff Paul Valteau. Stephens is the only sheriff among the nine latest inductees of the Justice Hall of Fame.

A list if some of the things Stephens has accomplished as sheriff include:

Starting up the network of sheriff’s sub-stations at all parish lines to help protect St. Bernard’s borders, building a modern parish prison to have room for offenders rather than releasing them, establishment of an Internal Affairs division, the holiday ride home program to help prevent drinking and driving, tripling the number of law enforcement personnel, creating the Neighborhood Watch program, establishing drug and traffic hotlines to battle drug-dealers and traffic violators and starting a 24-hour shelter for victims of domestic violence.

A luncheon will be held Aug. 1 for the new inductees of the Justice Hall of Fame with Warden Burl Cain and other dignitaries at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The formal induction banquet will be held later that night in Baton Rouge

An award debuting this year honors the late Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee, the Law Enforcement Administrator Award of Excellence.

The nonprofit penitentiary museum, built in 1989 just outside the front gate of the Angola Prison, is devoted to the study of crime and punishment in Louisiana, Wynne said. “It is unique and there is none other like it,’’ he said.

The Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame is in its fourth year and contains memorabilia of inductees in their own exhibit case.

The other inductees are new state Attorney General James D. “Buddy’’ Caldwell, U.S. District Frank Polozola, Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn, Brigadier General (Ret.) Sherian Cadoria, U.S. Marshal Rutledge Whittington, Baton Rouge Mayor Melvin “Kip’’ Holden and two posthumous selections – U.S. District Judge Adrian Duplantier of New Orleans and Elayn Hunt (Eicher), first female director of the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

Peter Earl Farragut Jr., 39, of Chalmette, was stopped on his bicycle in Arabi and arrested by agents of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Street Crimes and Narcotics units on Friday, July 11, as he allegedly tried to bring $50 worth of heroin from New Orleans into St. Bernard. Farragut, booked with possession of heroin that was found under his clothing, is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $15,000 bond.

Chalmette house burglary ring broken up with arrests of five,

plus a separate burglary arrest of man caught allegedly in the act

A burglary ring concentrating on Chalmette houses that were either vacant or under renovation was broken up by the Sheriff’s Office with the arrest of four men and a woman, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

The group, focusing on theft of copper wire, was collectively linked to at least 10 burglaries of unoccupied houses involving some $17,000 worth of goods, but the case is ongoing and more arrests are expected, the sheriff said.

Also, in a separate case, a man was arrested after he was caught allegedly in the act of burglarizing a residence in Arabi.

Central to the arrests in the burglary ring was information that came from witnesses at the scene of one of the break-ins and in the other recent arrest the man was caught at the scene because of a call from a witness, according to Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann.

“We are getting a lot of cooperation from people in neighborhoods who are making calls to the Sheriff’s Office in a timely manner when they see something suspicious and this has helped us arrest people either in the act of committing a crime or immediately afterward,’’ Pohlmann said.

He said there have been at least nine cases where burglary arrests have been made in the last two months based on calls from residents and he encouraged people to call 911 or the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-2501 if they see something suspect.

The five people taken into custody in the burglary ring were arrested during the first week of July. Booked with burglary were Jeremy Johnston, 20; James Gervais, 20; Mario Picolo, 20; and Joshua Bordelon, 17, all from the Chalmette area. All four are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bonds set at $50,000 each.

Alyssa Amie, 19, of Chalmette, was booked with possession of stolen property after she allegedly drove people to a scrap yard to sell stolen items. Most of the stolen property was sold in New Orleans.

In the separate case, John Martorana, 44, 1507 Angela St., Arabi, was booked July 2 with residence burglary and possession of stolen property under $500 after he was caught allegedly in the act of burglarizing a residence next to his own.

Martorana is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $75,000.

More than one-half ounce of crack cocaine seized

in 40 bags and three men arrested

More than a ½-ounce of crack cocaine, individually wrapped in 40 separate bags and worth a total of $1,600 on the street, was seized July 9 and three men were arrested by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Special Investigations Division, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

The Sheriff’s Office is continuing to put pressure on street level dealers to try to prevent bloodshed in possible drug territory wars, the sheriff said.

Officers from the Special Investigations Division obtained information about a scheduled drug deal, Sheriff Stephens said.

He said the three men arrested had a total of 16 grams of crack cocaine, just over one-half ounce, and were all booked with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and with possession of a small amount of marijuana.

Karnell Santa Cruz, 21, 2300 Walkers Lane, Meraux, had 21 rocks of crack cocaine and Nicholas Wagner, 21, of Braithwaite, had 19 rocks of crack cocaine, Sheriff Stephens said.

A third man in the vehicle with them, Rondy Green, 22, 17 Jamie Court, Violet, was also arrested on the crack and marijuana charges.

All three are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bonds set at $30,000 each.

Three teen girls booked in prostitution case, robbery and beating of a man;

one of them booked with enticing a minor into prostitution

Three teen-age St. Bernard Parish girls, one 17 and two 16-year-olds, have been booked in a prostitution case in which a Gretna man was allegedly beaten and robbed of a debit card when he allegedly didn’t pay the full amount he had agreed to for having sex with a 16-year-old and additional money to the oldest girl for arranging the deal, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

The Gretna man, while trying to drive away from men who were waiting for him and the girls, parked and fled his car in St. Bernard because the teens were beating him as he drove, the sheriff said.

All three teens were booked Wednesday, July 2, with second-degree robbery and second-degree battery of the 40-year-old Gretna man, who allegedly brought the girls to his FEMA trailer and was later beaten when he brought the girls home to Violet in eastern St. Bernard, the sheriff said.

Also, the 17-year-old, Ashley Delone, 5 Contemporary Court, Violet, was booked with enticing one of the 16-year-old girls into prostitution,

Sheriff Stephens said. She is being held in lieu of $125,000 bond in the St. Bernard Parish Prison.

The 16-year-olds, whose names aren’t being released by law because they are minors, are being held in the St. Bernard juvenile detention center.

Stephens said an investigation is continuing because detectives in the sheriff’s juvenile division who made the arrests are looking into the possibility of a wider prostitution ring involving the teen-agers. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the juvenile division at (504) 278-7749.

Michael Cheatteam, 1314 Pelfrey St., Gretna, who reported the incident before midnight on Sunday, June 29, wasn’t arrested in St. Bernard Parish but the Sheriff’s Office said Gretna police have been notified he allegedly had sex with a minor in his Gretna home. Cheatteam claimed he didn’t know the girl was a juvenile, Stephens said.

Cheatteam, who St. Bernard authorities said has a past conviction for rape and is a registered sex offender, allegedly had his debit card stolen during the incident and used by someone to withdraw $700 after he parked and fled his vehicle, Stephens said.

The three teen girls were beating him as he drove because they didn’t receive enough money for the prostitution act, the sheriff said.

Cheatteam, who allegedly met Delone months ago after speaking to her on a telephone party line, drove the girls back to St. Bernard Parish after they became angry in his Gretna home over the amount paid for the prostitution act, the sheriff said.

One of the girls used her cell phone on the way home and may have asked someone to meet them at her home, the sheriff said, because when Cheatteam arrived in Violet there were four men outside.

Cheattem, sensing he was going to be attacked, drove away but the girls beat him until he stopped the vehicle, got out and ran toward an open pasture in Violet near the canopy of oak trees along East St. Bernard Highway, Stephens said.

He later reported the incident to St. Bernard authorities.

Crime surveillance cameras producing results for St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office;

3 arrests made in 7 copper wire burglaries totaling $40,000

Crime surveillance cameras used in selected situations by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office are showing results, helping lead to the arrest of three alleged burglars who were striking an area of Chalmette businesses and stealing $40,000 in copper wire, Sheriff Jack Stephen said.

“We are using surveillance cameras in situations in which there have been repeat offenses in an area and there is reason to believe use of a camera would pay off,’’ Sheriff Stephens said.

Seven business burglaries were cleared involving the $40,000 of copper that was taken from businesses in the area of Parc Place in Chalmette, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Surveillance cameras have been used at times in the past by the Sheriff’s Office, Pohlmann said, but, “We are purchasing more cameras to put out in cases where there has been a spike in crime in specific areas.

“These cameras can work well’’ in areas where there is reason to believe an individual or group will try to strike again,’’ Pohlmann said.

In the case with the three burglary arrests, one business was burglarized several times and the owner agreed to the placement of a surveillance camera, Pohlmann said. On June 28 the camera videotaped a man breaking in on a weekend and stealing copper, Pohlmann said.

He said sheriff’s detectives were able to learn the identity of the man on the videotape and further investigation led to three arrests being made.

“We are getting very good cooperation with our local scrap yard, WB Scrapyard,’’ on Paris Road in Chalmette, Pohlmann said.

Arrested were Broderick Grant of New Orleans, 49, who had been living in Chalmette and was the man seen on the videotape, and two Chalmette men, Brandon Guevara, 24, and Michael Boudreaux.

Grant and Guevara are both being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $75,000. Boudreaux has been released on bond.

Sheriff’s deputies on patrol discover brothers burglarizing school under construction

St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies making a routine check on the Joseph Davies Elementary School now under construction in Meraux found a pair of brothers in the act of burglary, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Joseph Ballard, 31, and Chris Ballard, 26, both of 2221 Paul Drive, Meraux, were booked with business burglary and flight from an officer.

Deputies on patrol about 3:35 a.m. on June 18 stopped for a routine check at the Davies School in Meraux, which is under construction after being damaged in Hurricane Katrina and is due to reopen in the next school year. The officers observed two men inside the school, the sheriff said.

The men fled down a hallway and escaped the building, possibly through a window, but the officers got a physical description and description of their clothing and also shortly located a vehicle on one side of the building, with its engine still warm, Sheriff Stephens said.

A check of the license plate showed the vehicle was registered to Joseph Ballard, listed as living at 2221 Paul Drive, the sheriff said.

Several deputies went to the residence but Ballard wasn’t there, Stephens said, but soon a truck driven by Chris Ballard - with his brother as passenger – arrived at the school and they said they were coming to retrieve Joseph Ballard’s vehicle.

The sheriff said deputies who found the burglars in the school were able to identify the brothers as suspects based on their clothing and physical description.

One of the men later allegedly told a sheriff’s detective that he and his brother were inside the school building attempting to steal tools, the sheriff said.

Chalmette contractor booked in felony theft cases

involving storm-damaged properties; amount involved could total $200,000

A Chalmette contractor has been arrested and booked with several felony theft charges involving allegedly defrauding owners of storm-damaged properties of about $140,000 and the total amount could jump to about $200,000 as investigations continue, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

Lyle Torres, 38, 45 E. Carmack Drive, has been booked with four counts of felony theft and four more cases are still under investigation, the sheriff said.

Torres is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at a total of $294,000.

Some of the cases involve work which Torres was paid to do but never started, and others in which Torres’ crews started work but completed nothing, the sheriff said.

Sheriff Stephens said theft and fraud allegations against contractors involving storm-related renovations they have been hired to perform continues to be a steady problem in St. Bernard nearly three years after the hurricane.

He said the Sheriff’s Office has made numerous arrests and urges residents to be careful about who they choose to hire, saying they should follow some simple guidelines.

For instance, Sheriff Stephens said, never giving much upfront money for repairs and always insist on references from other property owners the contractor has worked for so a resident can check out what someone’s reputation. Make sure the person has a valid Louisiana contractor’s license, he said.

Also, the sheriff said, residents can call the St. Bernard Sheriff’s detective bureau at (504) 278-7630 to find out if someone they are thinking of hiring has ever been criminally charged in St. Bernard.

Sheriff Stephens sworn in for 7^th-term and

Clerk of Court Lena Torres sworn in for 6^th term in July ceremony

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack A. Stephens, saying he is optimistic about the future of the parish in recovering from Hurricane Katrina, became the second-longest serving sheriff in Louisiana when he was sworn in for his 7^th-term on Tuesday, July 1 in an ceremony in the large courtroom in the Parish Courthouse at which some 250 deputies also took their oaths for the 2008-12 term.

St. Bernard Parish Clerk of Court Lena Torres was also sworn in for her 6^th-term during the ceremony.

State District Judge Manny Fernandez of St. Bernard administered the oath of office to Sheriff Stephens, who stood with his wife, Desiree, and Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Pascal Calegaro administered the oath to Mrs. Torres, who stood with her son, attorney Sidney D. Torres III.

As numerous parish officials looked on, the assembled sheriff’s deputies wore sworn in by state District Judge Wayne Cresap of St. Bernard. James Pohlmann was sworn in as Chief Deputy Sheriff by Louisiana 4^th Circuit Court of Appeal Judge David Gorbaty of St. Bernard and Ri