Takes one to know one

Et tu, Capt. Morton?: Capt. Frederick C. Morton, who did the inspection of the 8th District and blew the whistle on Cmdr. Eddie Hosli for forming a company that ran the detail monitoring traffic cameras, may not be so innocent himself.

A check of the Secretary of State's roster of LLCs and corporations seems to show that a "Frederick C. Morton" is an agent or officer in at least 2 security companies.

There may be as many as 8 companies, depending on how many Frederick C. Mortons there are. Capt. Morton signed his report on the 8th District as "Frederick C. Morton," but in the state records there is a Frederick C. Morton, a Frederick C. Morton Jr., and a Frederick C. Morton IV (but curiously, no III).

At 42, if he's the senior "Morton" without "Sr." after his name it's unlikely he sired a "Jr." or a "IV". Is it all the same person? Just what is the lineage? And why isn't that reflected in his signature?

The 2 security firms--Rosewood Watchmen LLC and S & E Security Management LLC--share the same address: 69219 Rowell St., Mandeville. Both were founded in 2009. Rosewood lists only Morton IV as the agent; S & E lists Frederick C. Morton as the agent and Frederick Morton IV (without the "C") as a member.

Rosewood also lists a Susan "Smelton" (notice the "m"), of the same address, as an officer. S & E lists a Susan "Shelton" (notice the "h"), of the same address, as an officer.

Curiously, on March 3, 2011, about the time Morton was concluding his report on Hosli's involvement in a corporation, there was a resignation of one of Rosewood's officer, although the state record doesn't indicate who.

Considering the errors of fact Capt. Morton made in his scathing report on the 8th District, it's not surprising if he made similar errors in reporting his own business dealings.

On high ground: We've heard that the big topic of discussion at last week's 8th District COMSTAT meeting was the number of out-of-state hookers who've flooded the city.

They've apparently fled inundated cities up river and have doubled the 50 or so who ply their trade in the French Quarter.

Speaking of which: Two rapes were reported in the 8th District last week, but no word from the NOPD about what's going on. However, cops did arrest one perpetrator for a rape in the 1400 block of Canal Street (in the infamous hotel there?) on Sunday (5.8.11) around 4:36 a.m.

They charged an immigrant, Luis Castellanos, 30, with simple robbery and aggravated rape. He's being held in OPP on a $300,000 bond.

You'd think with a robbery involved, the NOPD would tell you how it went down so other women can avoid becoming victims in the same way. (If you want to know, maybe the NOPD's new high-priced Public Affairs Division commander can fill you in.)

Can't we all just get along?: What is it with violence lately in the French Quarter? Seems like everyone wants to show how tough they are:

• Tuesday (5.10.11) 10:14 p.m. and 10:25 p.m.: Two black teenage punks, one 15 and the other 13, were apprehended after terrorizing tourists near Jackson Square.

• In the first incident, they threatened a 52-year-old white man sitting on a bench near Chartres and St. Peter streets by showing him the pistol one of them had under his shirt before fleeing on foot on St. Peter toward Bourbon Street.

• In the second case, the young felons held up a 43-year-old Asian man who was walking in the 800 block of St. Peter between Bourbon and Dauphine Street. One put his hand under his shirt, implying he had a gun, and demanded the man's money; his accomplice cleaned out the victim's pockets.

The question is: Why didn't cops see these young punks--who were in violation of curfew--before they could terrorize these citizens?

• Thursday (5.12.11) 9:40 p.m.: Two white guys, one 25, the other 31, sitting on a bench in the 500 block of St. Ann Street, next to Jackson Square, were slashed and stabbed in the hand and abdomen by another white guy who pulled a knife when an argument got too heated.

Police rounded up a guy the victims described as 5'9" tall, weighing 155 pounds, wearing a white cowboy hat and a black shirt and blue jeans (not too hard to spot, even in the Quarter). But the victims refused to view a line-up with the suspect's picture in it.

The report concluded that detectives believe the incident was a dispute between friends, after initially reporting that the assailant was an "unknown" male.

• Friday (5.13.11) 10:30 a.m.: A 51-year-old white man standing in the 900 block of Canal Street, near the Ritz-Carlton, was stabbed by a black guy wielding a shiv. Cops quickly arrested Quincy Smedley, 23, and charged him with aggravated battery. He is being held on $25,000 bond in OPP.
  

Stick'em ups: Robbers we always have with us:

• Saturday (5.7.11) 4:10 a.m.: 8th District detectives, with the help of St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's deputies, nabbed one of 2 suspects who allegedly robbed a 29-year-old black man who had just gotten into his car in the 500 block of Bienville Street (between Decatur and Chartres streets).

One of the robbers got into the victim's car through the passenger door. When the victim tried to exit through the driver's side door, he saw the other robber standing near the door and brandishing a handgun. The robbers took the victim's watch and cash, fleeing on foot toward the river.

When detectives got an anonymous tip that one of the robbers was headed to "da Parish" to sell the watch, they notified deputies there who flooded the area of Judge Perez Drive. They stopped Larry Rudolph, 48, who was driving a black late-model Saturn Ion, and 8th District detectives arrested him for armed robbery. Rudolph, according to the NOPD, was also charged with a drug offense in St. Bernard and will be transferred to Orleans Parish after than case concludes.

The NOPD issued a composite sketch of the second suspect (pictured right), who is still at large, but didn't provide any description of him.

• Saturday (5.7.11) 2:40 p.m.: Another iPhone, another thief. You just can't be too careful when you whip your iPhone out to take a picture, text a message, or talk, no matter if it is in broad daylight. A 38-year-old woman learned that the hard way when she was taking a picture at Bourbon and St. Peter streets, a black thug ran up and grabbed it away.

He was described as 5'6" tall, wearing a red shirt and baggy blue jeans.

• Sunday (5.8.11) 2:35 p.m.: You know, when you count out big sums of money in plain sight, you're just bound to attract thieves. The manager of the Walgreen's at Elk Place and Tulane Avenue learned that while counting money at the front cash register and a black dude came up and grabbed the loot out of the manager's hand.

The robber was described as 30 years old, 6'2" tall, with a slim build and bald head, wearing a white T-shirt and tan pants.

• Tuesday (5.10.11) 2:30 a.m.: A 36-year-old white man walking in the 600 block of Chartres Street (between Toulouse and St. Peter streets) was held up at gunpoint by a black crook who demanded his money before fleeing on foot toward Esplanade Avenue.

The robber was said to be 25 to 30 years old, 6' tall, weighing 190 bounds, wearing a white T-shirt and dark-colored shorts.

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Crimes last week in the 8th District

(Click on the crime map to enlarge it)

Sunday (5.1.11)

Theft, 227 Bourbon, 2:11 a.m.
Auto Theft, 300 John Churchill Chase, 2:18 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 227 Bourbon, 3:10 a.m.
Theft, 500 Bourbon, 3:14 a.m.
Pursesnatching, Bourbon & Esplanade, 8:12 p.m.

Monday (5.2.11)

Armed Robbery, 600 Burgundy, 12:54 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 700 Frenchmen, 8:40 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 923 Constance, 8:56 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1933 N Rampart, 11:29 a.m.
Auto Theft, 801 Chartres, 2:35 p.m.

Tuesday (5.3.11)

Theft, 228 Poydras, 12:25 p.m.
Theft, 700 Frenchmen, 1:51 p.m.
Shoplifting, 1018 Canal, 1:59 p.m.
Business Burglary, 535 Tchoupitoulas, 2:47 p.m.
Theft, 955 Howard, 4:00 p.m.
Shoplifting, 529 Bourbon, 5:26 p.m.
Theft, 414 Burgundy, 5:29 p.m.

Wednesday (5.4.11)

Auto Theft, Commerce & Notre Dame, 6:50 a.m.
Theft, 301 Dauphine, 9:09 a.m.
Simple Burglary, 617 Kerlerec, 10:52 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 407 Bourbon, 10:55 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 S Rampart, 11:32 a.m.
Theft, 723 Canal, 12:29 p.m.
Theft, 417 S Rampart, 2:18 p.m.
Theft, 8 Canal, 2:41 p.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 6:01 p.m.
Theft, 801 Bourbon, 10:18 p.m.

Thursday (5.5.11)

Auto Theft, 500 Constance, 12:55 a.m.
Theft, 1024 Chartres, 1:17 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 700 Dumaine, 2:29 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 1400 Chartres, 3:41 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 2100 Chartres, 5:50 a.m.
Theft, 555 Canal, 5:34 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 902 Julia, 9:09 a.m.
Auto Theft, Carondelet & St Joseph, 12:42 p.m.
Shoplifting, 211 Decatur, 12:51 p.m.
Theft, Bourbon & Canal, 5:16 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Lafayette & S Rampart, 6:44 p.m.
Simple Burglary, 835 Julia, 8:23 p.m.

Friday (5.6.11)

Auto Burglary, 300 Burgundy, 12:46 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Conti, 3:34 a.m.
Theft, 500 St Charles, 4:02 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 400 Dauphine, 5:35 a.m.
Business Burglary, 601 Baronne, 8:10 a.m.
Theft, 1601 Gravier, 12:20 p.m.
Auto Burglary, N Front & Iberville, 2:50 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 235 S Villere, 8:11 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Conti & N Rampart, 8:55 p.m.
Theft, 503 Bourbon, 10:49 p.m.

Saturday (5.7.11)

Armed Robbery, 500 Bienville, 4:13 a.m.
Theft, 200 Bourbon, 6:44 a.m.
Auto Theft, 2100 Royal, 7:48 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, Frenchmen & Royal, 1:01 p.m.
Shoplifting, 301 Canal, 1:13 p.m.
Theft, 624 Royal, 1:45 p.m.
Theft, 921 Canal, 1:47 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & St Peter, 2:54 p.m.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com

Thom Kahler