Hard and soft: One judge, two very different sentences

The hard time: Last year, bandits on bikes were the scourge of women walking in the 8th District as they roamed around snatching purses, sometimes at gunpoint. Diligent detective work reeled in a couple of them and the threat seemed to subside.

One of them, Lionel Hudson (right), met his fate 3 weeks ago in Judge Terry Q. Alarcon's court. He probably wishes he never learned to ride a bicycle. Hudson, 25, pled guilty to 2 counts of armed robbery with a firearm on 5.16.11 and Alarcon (left) promptly sentenced him to 15 years in prison at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

Hudson was positively identified as the robber who was on a small BMX-style bike when he made off with the 30-year-old woman's purse around 11:54 p.m. on 7.22.10 while she was walking on Dauphine Street near Gov. Nicholls Street. Detectives arrested him 4 days later.

Hudson's first adult arrest was just 4 days after he turned 17 when he was charged with illegal possession of a stolen auto, illegal possession of a weapon, flight from an officer and resisting an officer.

He sat in OPP on $500,000 bond after his arrest 7.26.10 until his trial. Now he can look forward to long, hard time for the next 15 years. Despite what they say, he'll probably forget how to ride a bicycle in that time.

[Another accused bike bandit allegedly operating in the French Quarter, Craig Hayes, 19, is due to go on trial in a couple of weeks on 6.22.11 for snatching the purse of a woman walking in the 900 block of Royal Street while on a bicycle on 4.16.10. It didn't take police long to arrest him, but Judge Laurie A. White reduced his bail from the $15,000 a magistrate set when he was arrested to $5,000. He was back on the street a couple of weeks later--in time to sexually assault and rob a woman Uptown on 7.23.10, police say, after riding up to her residence on a bicycle.]

The soft time: This year, with bank bandits virtually vanquished, it is the theft of iPhones which is plaguing the 8th District. Brazen thieves who've come right up and snatched cellphones right out of the hands of citizens on the street.

Jeffrey Ard, 22, pled guilty last month to simple robbery for stealing the iPhone out of the hand of a 23-year-old white guy who was standing on Canal Street near Rampart Street on 3.8.11. The victim struggled with him and police arrived on the scene to nab Ard immediately.

But Judge Alarcon--who had been so severe with the bike bandit--sentenced this thief to only "2 years at hard labor"--then suspended the prison term. The judge also charged him over $700 in court fees, plus $55 monthly for supervision of his 2 years of probation. Sounds like Ard's going to have to get a job--or steal a whole bunch more phones to pay his fines.

Think it doesn't matter?: Who was the judge who turned this 15-year-old miscreant loose after he pulled off a robbery in the French Quarter a couple of weeks ago, allowing him the opportunity to go and rob again? The black boy was supposed to be under house-arrest and wear an electronic tracking device on his ankle to monitor his every move.

He was still wearing it Friday (6.3.11) when he was apprehended in Chalmette by St. Bernard Perish sheriff's deputies after they chased down a 2006 Ford pickup reported stolen in New Orleans a day earlier.

After the truck hit 5 parked cars, 2 men and a woman riding inside ran, but deputies caught 2 of them, including the 15-year-old. He was booked with possession of stolen property, flight from an officer, and possession of marijuana found in the truck.

What will happen to these thieves?: While one thief goes free, others continue to plague the French Quarter:

• Sunday (5.29.11) 1:30 a.m.: Two guys, one black, 24, and the other white, 25, were walking near Touro and Royal streets when they were set upon by 2 black thugs, one of whom pulled a gun and demanded the victims' money and cellphones. The victims complied and the thieves fled on foot down Touro toward St. Claude Avenue.

One of the robbers was described as 5'8" tall, weighing 140 pounds, wearing a black shirt and khaki shorts; the other was 6' tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a long red T-shirt and dark-colored pants.

• Sunday (5.29.11) 6:55 a.m.: A guy was riding in a car in the 700 block of Bourbon Street near Orleans Avenue when he was surrounded by a gang of black dudes. One of them reached through the car's open window and snatched the victim's cellphone from his hand.

Police quickly arrested Jeremy Holmes, 20, and a juvenile black boy.

• Friday (6.3.11) 11:20 a.m.: A 55-year-old white gentleman and his wife walking in broad daylight in the 600 block of St. Peter Street near Chartres Street had his iPhone grabbed from his hand by a black thug. The thief fled on foot through Jackson Square to Decatur Street, then turned toward Canal Street.

The hoodlum was described as in his 20's, 5'7" tall, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants.

Crime takes root on Canal: Once again the McDonald's at 711 Canal and the IHOP at 833 Canal were again the scenes of crimes. (Maybe they could use a police detail, you think?):

• IHOP, Saturday (5.28.11) 7:50 a.m.: An older black man held the door to the restaurant open as an elderly white couple were exiting. Nice gesture--but then he began following them down Canal Street. He started patting down the elderly gent to find his wallet. The victim tried to stop him, struggling with him and ending up falling on the sidewalk. While he was down, the black fella lifted his wallet.

Bystanders gave chase, but the black felon got into a minivan on Canal, variously described as yellow or gold or tan. The thief was described as 5'10" tall, with a thin build and salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a white or tan button-down shirt.

• McDonald's, Saturday (5.28.11) 6:45 p.m.: A 17-year-old black boy was in the eatery when a gang of black males fell upon him. One knocked his hat off and grabbed it. Another of the punks tried to take the guy's cellphone, but the victim thwarted that. The rest of the gang ran out of the restaurant.
  

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Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the crime map to enlarge it)

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

Thom Kahler