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One of the store employees arrested, Kary Aziz, 45, of Arabi, who worked at Lexington Discount in Meraux, stands handcuffed in the store during the raid by  the sheriff's Special Investigations Division on May 28. Behind him is a case containing numerous smoking devices being sold that were confiscated. Sheriff's deputies include, from left, Cpl. Leander Morgan of SID, Deputy Christopher Encardes, standing next to the arrested suspect, and Lt. Bob Roger of SID, at right.  STEVE CANNIZARO PHOTO.

May 29, 2009 - Nine employees of convenience stores in St. Bernard Parish have been booked with sale or possession of glass pipes for smoking crack cocaine or marijuana and more than 500 pipes were seized in the months-long operation in which workers at seven stores complied with requests by an undercover sheriff’s informant to buy pipes for drugs, Sheriff Jack Stephens said. The sales were videotaped as the informant specifically asked for “crack pipes’’ or at one store for “a bong to smoke my weed,’’ the sheriff said. The Sheriff’s Office carried out what it called “Operation Pipe Dreams’’ based on complaints made to authorities about the stores by members of the public. Pipes worth several thousand dollars were seized and will be kept as evidence pending the outcome of the criminal cases.

Arrests were made Thursday, May 28, as agents from the sheriff’s Special investigations Division, which includes the Narcotics Unit and Street Crimes, executed search warrants at seven stores from Arabi to the St. Bernard community in the eastern part of the parish. They also carried out arrests based on warrants for store employees who had sold pipes to the sheriff’s informant. One store in Meraux, Lexington Discount, 4213 E. Judge Perez Drive, openly displayed glass pipes commonly used for smoking marijuana or tobacco in a glass case and had large “bongs’’ displayed on a wall. But in the stores where glass pipes commonly used for smoking crack cocaine were bought, the pipes were hidden under the counter and the employee usually sold them in combination with a piece of Chore, or copper scrapping, used as a screen for smoking the crack.

The pipes are sold as novelty items by wholesale companies. Generally they are a thin Pyrex glass tube with a silk rose inside that can be pushed out to smoke crack. But at one store the tubes contained an ink pen that could be disassembled. One worker at a store, when asked by the informant to sell him a crack pipe, produced one of the pens and told the informant that the next time he came in he should ask for a pen. 

All of the charges are misdemeanors, subject to maximum 6-months jail sentences and/or $500 fines, but sheriff’s officials said that doesn’t reduce the importance of the operation. The aim was to send the message that selling drug paraphernalia in St. Bernard won’t be allowed, according to Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann and Col. Chad Clark, leader of the SID. Store operators will think twice about selling items to people who openly ask for crack pipes and devices for smoking marijuana because it could be another undercover sheriff’s informant and they would be arrested again. Pohlmann and Clark said.  “We have zero tolerance for this in St. Bernard,’’ Pohlmann said. “You are not going to be able to walk into a place and buy a crack pipe.’’ Clark said, “The Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate drug paraphernalia cases and do all necessary to protest youth from the scourge of drugs and those who facilitate violations of drug laws.’’

Drug paraphernalia sales is a multi-billion-dollar business nationwide, Clark said, but the Sheriff’s Office intends to make sure children can’t walk into stores in St. Bernard and see crack pipes openly for sale. Officials also said the arrests fit the law involving sale of drug paraphernalia because all the workers arrested were aware the items they were selling were going to be used for using drugs. “If you walk in and ask for a crack pipe’’ the store clerk is knowingly selling something for drug use, Pohlmann said. “I think we have a solid case against these people. If not, then we will see them (the suspects) in court.’’

All nine arrested suspects were booked into the St. Bernard Parish Prison, with bond set at $1,000 per charge by state District Judge Kirk Vaughn, who released all of them from jail on their own recognizance. The nine suspects, the charges against them and the stores where they were arrested:

Bazaar Zahran, 35, Gretna, two counts distribution of drug paraphernalia; arrested at Magnolia Discount, 7600 West Judge Perez Drive, Arabi.

Raed Thabata, 32, Terrytown, two counts distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession with intent to distribute; arrested at Chalmette Discount, 1800 E. Judge Perez Drive, Suite B, Chalmette.

Rashed Thabata, 28, Terrytown, one count possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia; arrested at Chalmette Discount, 1800 E. Judge Perez Drive, Suite B, Chalmette.

Amer Ahmad, 27, 5030 Morrison Road, New Orleans, one count distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession with intent to distribute; arrested at Amin’s Quick Stop, 1901 E. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette.

Ehab Ayyad, 36, 11950 Hayne Blvd., New Orleans, possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia; arrested at Amin’s Quick Stop, 1901 E. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette.

Kary Aziz, 45, 2309 Esteban St., Arabi, one count of distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute; arrested at Lexington Discount, 4213 E. Judge Perez Drive, Meraux.

Hisham Deeb, 45, 2817 Corinne Drive, Chalmette, one count distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession with intent to distribute; arrested at Quick Check Oak Ridge, 5815 E. Judge Perez Drive, Violet.

Shadi Mubarak, 31, Metairie, one count distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession with intent; arrested at Supreme Food Mart, 7601 E. St. Bernard Hwy., Violet.

Hikmet Mustafa Abdelgad Rabee, 45, Abita Springs, one count distribution of drug paraphernalia and one count possession with intent to distribute; arrested at Quick Check Torres, 617 Bayou Road, in the St. Bernard community.

May 22, 2009 - St. Bernard’s Sheriff’s Office is concentrating on advanced training programs for the staff of its communications division, which operates the 911 emergency system from its headquarters on West St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette, Chief Sheriff’s Deputy James Pohlmann said.

Nine of the 18 staff members have completed certification by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, known as APCO, and the other nine will have completed it by the end of June, according to Col. Jerry Rathburn, who heads Technology and Communications for the Sheriff’s Office.  APCO is the world’s oldest and largest not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to enhancement of public safety communications. It has 15,000 members.

Most of the communications division staff will also soon receive further training in crisis management, involving bettering skills in dealing with people and situations during emergencies.  Pohlmann, second in command to Sheriff Jack Stephens, worked years ago in the communications division of the Sheriff’s Office before the current 911 emergency system and computer-aided dispatching system was in place. Pohlmann said, “The equipment used today is sophisticated and quite advanced, requiring advanced training for our personnel. We take training very seriously here.

“The lives of the parish residents our communications officers deal with during emergencies can hang in the balance’’ based on the job they do,’’ Pohlmann said. “Being quick and being accurate in what they do is essential.’’ Enforcement personnel responding to calls are also relying on the work of the 911 emergency system operators so they can do their jobs.

Communications division employees who have received the APCO certification include: Capt. Angela Peraza, Sgt. Jamie Penton, Sgt. Chantel Nunez, Sgt. Darlene Langsford, Sgt. Donnell Jeansonne, Cpl. Joey Mullen, Dep. Stephani Alfonso, Dep. John Corley and Dep. Amy Montelongo.

May 13, 2009 - An Albany, New York, woman visiting in Chalmette suffered severe head injuries on Wednesday, May 13, when struck by a St. Bernard Parish government dump truck while she was crossing a Chalmette street, authorities said.

State Police were handling the investigation in which the woman, 37 years old, whose name wasn’t released pending notification of relatives, was in critical condition at University Hospital in New Orleans. The accident happened after 1 p.m. at East Judge Perez Drive at Campagna Drive, more than a mile east of Paris Road.

The driver of the parish-owned dump truck, whose name also hasn’t been released, was heading south on Campagna and turned left to go east on East Judge Perez Drive, striking the woman who was walking north across the intersection on East Judge Perez Drive. The woman had been shopping in a store and was reportedly walking back to the home where she knew parish residents. No other information was available at this time.

May 12, 2009 - Three Violet men have been arrested in an unusual case in which a St. Bernard Parish man was robbed of $3,600 on Saturday afternoon, May 9, while allegedly trying to buy marijuana in Violet, then was shot in a leg later that night when he returned to the area in a vehicle trying to locate the robbers, Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Frank Macklin Williams, 18, was booked Monday night, May 11, with attempted murder and armed robbery and two others, Glennard Garnett, 25, and Timmery Barthelemy, 29, were booked with armed robbery after sheriff’s detectives developed information in the case. Williams is being held in lieu of bond set at $300,000; while the others are being held in lieu of $150,000 bonds.

Byron Sakobie, 26, of the St. Bernard community, was taken to University Hospital for treatment after he was shot but has been released.

Pohlmann said the investigation will continue, including interviewing Sakobie again now that he has been released. Others were also allegedly involved in the beating and robbery and there were reports money from the robbery was spread among several people. “When someone sets out to buy drugs they risk becoming a victim of violent crime,’’ Pohlmann said. “Fortunately the victim in this case wasn’t more seriously injured and we were able to clear this quickly by arrest.’’

No guns or money have been recovered. Four bullet casings were recovered in the 2300 block of Licciardi Lane in Violet the night of May 10 after Sakobie was shot in a leg about 9 p.m. while riding in a vehicle. Sakobie, who admitted after the robbery he had been trying to buy expensive marijuana, identified Garnett, who was arrested on Sunday, May 10. Further investigation led to Williams, who authorities said has admitted the shooting but said Sakobie claimed he had a gun when he returned. The victim also said he was shot trying to locate the men who robbed him earlier that day. Two others in the vehicle with him, whom Sakobie said he asked to take a ride with him, weren’t injured.

May 9, 2009 - St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens was released Saturday, May 9, from Tulane Medical Center, where he was kept overnight for observation after feeling ill the night before during dinner with his wife and friends at a New Orleans restaurant. Paramedics had rushed Stephens, 60, to the hospital after he became ill during dinner with family and friend at a New Orleans restaurant.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann, second in command to Sheriff Stephens, visited him in the emergency room and said he "seemed to be resting well" on Friday night after being brought to Tulane by ambulance about 6 p.m. “He was dining with his wife and friends and felt ill,’’ Pohlmann said of the sheriff. “He felt weak and had a dizzy spell,’’ but  Sheriff Stephens never lost consciousness, Pohlmann said.

Tests were run and the sheriff spent the night in the hospital for observation and was released the next day.

Stephens, who took office in 1984 after his 1983 election, has been re-elected six times - the most recent in the fall of  2007 - and will celebrate 25 years in office on July 1. He is the second longest-serving sheriff in Louisiana.

May 7, 2009 - A 13-year-old male student waiting at a Chalmette bus stop on Tuesday, May 5, suffered fractures to the left and right sides of his jaw and broken teeth when he tried to defend another student in an alleged assault by a 17-year-old who was booked with felony second-degree battery, Sheriff Jack Stephens said. The victim, whose name wasn’t released, was attacked about 7:20 a.m. at a bus stop at LaPlace Street and Genie Street when he tried to defend a 12-year-old allegedly being attacked by Jensin Roussell, 17, 3525 LaPlace St., Chalmette. Rousell placed the 13-year-old in a chokehold and apparently passed out from lack of air.  The victim fell to the ground striking his face and causing two jaw fractures, four broken teeth and a chin laceration. The boy’s sister called their mother, who took him to Children’s Hospital for treatment.

Roussell was later arrested at Chalmette High on a warrant obtained by sheriff’s Juvenile Division detectives charging him with second-degree battery, a felony. Roussell was released from St. Bernard Parish Prison on Thursday, May 7, on a $25,000 property bond.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 - During the past five years the use of Internet social networking Web sites has become a part of everyday life for many people including children.  Sheriff Jack Stephens warns that parents must be aware of the dangers involved and exercise supervision.  Unfortunately, these sites have become havens for child predators and parents and guardians must be alert for any inappropriate communications their kids receive online and talk to them about possible risks.  “Tell them," according to Sheriff Stephens, "that under no circumstance should they meet with a stranger they have communicated with online because they have no idea who they are really dealing with.’’

Sites like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter allow people to form online communities where they can create networks of people with similar interests to more easily communicate and share information with others. According to a recent study, 87% of children between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet and of those 55% use social networking sites, with almost half visiting sites once a day or more. But, ominously, this past February, MySpace reported they turned over the names of 90,000 sex offenders banned from its site during a two-year time period. In March, Facebook reported they have removed 5,500 sex offenders from their site during a nine-month time period.

“This is the dark side of social networking,” said Sheriff Stephens. “It’s a case of emerging technology being used to pose a risk to our children.’’ “Along with favorite bands and best friends, kids are posting phone numbers, class schedules, and other personal information that makes them vulnerable to anyone who wants to track them down. The real danger is children are sometimes naïve to the fact everything they post online becomes public information, and the person they connect with online isn’t always who they say they are.’’ Sheriff Stephens said that fortunately, in St. Bernard Parish, the problems resulting in teen-agers using MySpace and Facebook have been mostly kids posting mean-spirited things about one another rather than coming into contact with adult sexual predators. But parents, must be diligent about supervising as best they can their children’s use of the Internet and let them know you want them to tell you about any inappropriate communication they receive online.

Last year, new security standards were set by both MySpace and Facebook in an attempt to protect minors from sexual predators. Some of the changes include banning convicted sex offenders from the site, putting limits on older users’ ability to search profiles of members under 18, and finding better ways to verify users’ ages and identities. Even with these measures, a child’s best protection is their parents or guardians. According to Sheriff Stephens, “As a parent you can help your child go safely through the Internet, so they can benefit from the wealth of information available to them online. “Think of the Internet as a tool as powerful as getting behind the wheel of a car.  You only hand over the keys after education, training, and adult supervision. The same should hold true for your child using the Internet, except here they have the key to the world with the click of a mouse.  It is up to you as a parent to help them navigate safely.”

Sheriff Stephens offers the following tips to prevent cyber predators from getting close to a minor:

• Children and teenagers should be supervised at all times when surfing the Internet. Parents or guardians should the computer in an open area where they can see what a child is doing online.
• Spend time online with a child and establish ground rules for his or her Internet use. 
• Keep an open line of communication with them and talk about the issue of cyber crime. They need to understand the dangers, but they also need to trust you enough to tell you what is going on, or if something makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Block and report anyone that sends a minor unwanted or inappropriate communications. 
• Help kids understand what information should be kept private.  For example, a phone number, address or pictures showing specific whereabouts.
• Remember, people aren’t always who they say they are.
• Kids must be told that under no circumstances should they arrange to meet anyone they communicate with online.
• Tell a child not to share his or her password with anyone except a parent.
• If not already, parents and guardians must become computer literate in order to communicate with their children who are.  Learn how to block objectionable material and check your child’s history if necessary. 
• Parents must understand privacy settings and use them to restrict who can access and post to their child’s Web site.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 - The arrest of four men in three incidents in a week netted the seizure of about three-quarters of a pound of marijuana and one of those arrested was free on bond at the time from a marijuana bust just several weeks prior, Sheriff Jack Stephens said.  A total of 328 grams of marijuana, or nearly 12 ounces, were seized in the total of three arrests from Monday, April 27 through Monday, May 4.  The arrests were all made by agents of the sheriff’s Special Investigations Division.

Cameron Creighton, 18, of New Orleans, was booked in Chalmette with possession of 112 grams of marijuana, or four ounces, with intent to distribute on Thursday, April 30 while allegedly delivering it in Chalmette to another man, Earl Hohensee, 34, also of New Orleans.  When Creighton was arrested, he said, “I’m not a real drug dealer. I was doing a favor for my friend, Earl.’’ Creighton, also booked with possession of drug paraphernalia - a digital scale -  and traffic charges, has been released from St. Bernard Parish Prison on bond of $7,500. Hohensee was booked with attempted possession of marijuana and has been released on bond of $3,000.

In a separate incident on Monday, May 4, Joey Diaz, 19, of Slidell, was arrested at 144 D’Amour St. in Chalmette and booked with possession with intent to distribute 70 grams of marijuana, or about 2 ½ ounces, that were packaged in seven clear plastic bags that were all inside a one-gallon sized bag. Deputies were checking the area on a narcotics complaint when they saw marijuana in plain view on a table in a residence after smelling lit marijuana through an open window. Approval for a search of the residence was given and the marijuana was found. Diaz admitted the bags of marijuana were his. Diaz was free on bond at the time from another marijuana arrest two weeks earlier in which he was booked with possession with intent to distribute. Diaz is being held in St. Bernard Parish prison in lieu of $15,000 bond set in his case.

Also, 146 grams of marijuana, or about five ounces, was seized at a Chalmette residence on Monday, April 27, while officers checked out a complaint of narcotics. A subject whose name hasn’t been released was arrested and later was freed on bond. 

Friday, May 1, 2009 - The shooting death of a Violet cat known as a Savannah worth $3,500 resulted in the arrest of a neighbor of its owner on a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to an animal and illegal discharge of a weapon, St. Bernard Parish Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Rene P. Desselle, 2920 Farmsite Road, was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison on Monday, April 27, after an investigation of the death of the male spotted cat which after getting outside his owner’s home, was found shot to the head and back on Monday, April 20, in the back yard of a residence next to Desselle’s home.

Desselle, released on bond of $6,000, acknowledged to authorities that he shot at the cat but said he missed.  He said he thought he was a wild cat and didn’t know he was owned by his neighbor Jay Authement. Desselle also claimed the cat attacked his daughter’s small dog in his backyard on Sunday, April 19, saying he got between the two and chased away the feline. However, the parish’s Animal Shelter wasn’t contacted by Desselle about problems with a wild cat, authorities said.

The animal, which weighed about 10 pounds, disappeared from Authement’s home in the 2900 block of Farmsite on April 17.  Authement and his wife placed fliers with a photo of the cat throughout the neighborhood and at a convenience store. Authement also told sheriff’s deputies Desselle called him on April 20 to say he had seen the cat the day before and then Desselle called again later to say he had found the cat dead in the backyard of a residence next door to Desselle.

The Savannah is a hybrid domestic cat breed and is a cross between the Serval and a domestic cat. Their cost can range as high as $8,000, according to one website. Savannahs are considered one of the larger breeds of domesticated cats and their tall and slim build gives them the appearance of greater size than their actual weight.