January 2023 witnessed a great advance for families and youth in Shreveport, with a ribbon-cutting for a project called The Harbor. A plan in the works for almost eight years, it will provide a one-stop shop for parents and students seeking help in the myriad areas challenging families today.

Repurposing a Caddo Schools building at 3004 Knight Street just south of Shreve City, its 55,000 square feet on two floors will offer a central location for area legal, social services, educational and other agencies offering counseling, tutoring, meeting areas, truancy intervention, school attendance information, school uniform assistance,  a drop off location for law enforcement for parents to come pick up their children who are violating curfew or have committed misdemeanor offenses , and more. Long a dream of Volunteers for Youth Justice Executive Director Kelli Todd and myself, this will help meet the needs of Caddo Parish families and the entire community.

The ribbon-cutting for The Harbor was held January 23, and brought together supporters including your DA, Caddo Schools Superintendent Dr. Lamar Goree, Juvenile Judges Natalie Howell, Ree Casey-Jones and recently retired Paul Young, parish and city elected officials, educators and representatives from Volunteers for Youth Justice and other agencies and service providers who will offer services. Work continues to prepare offices and working space there. The ground floor is completely booked, with expansion to the second floor envisioned. The grand opening is tentatively set for some time in March.

We have to invest proactively in our children and we have to have hope. The Harbor is such an investment and a source of hope. Things only change when our community works together and The Harbor is a great start.


January was a good start to 2023 and a productive month for your Caddo Parish District Attorney’s office.

The Caddo Grand Jury returned four true bills in its session that ended January 25. One is for a juvenile whose case, stemming from a fatal shooting near Tinseltown in south Shreveport September 4, 2021, recently was transferred to Caddo District Court from Juvenile Court under provisions of Louisiana Children’s Code Article 305. That allows a District Attorney to have jurisdiction of certain juvenile offenders age 15 or older transferred to District Court.

A continued custody hearing in Caddo Juvenile Court January 17 determined that prosecution of Rodney Tremell Lewis Jr., 16, could be transferred to Caddo District Court.

The indictment charges Lewis with one count of second-degree murder, eight counts of attempted second-degree murder and four counts of aggravated criminal property damage.

The charges all stem from the incident on Bert Kouns Industrial Loop that resulted in the death of 13-year-old Kelvonte Daigre and wounded eight other individuals that night, including three other youths ages 5, 15 and 16. least seven of the eight attempted first-degree murder victims were innocent bystanders merely waiting for the red light to change or otherwise traveling through the intersection.


Also indicted in January were:

  • Ricky Danthony Moore of Shreveport, 28, charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a felon. The charges are in connection with the June 13, 2022 slaying of Nicholas J. Jackson. Mr. Jackson, 25, was shot and killed during a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of Browning Street.
  • Tahiron Shorad King of Shreveport, 33, charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a felon. The charges are in connection with the September 19, 2022 slaying of D’Shaundre Harris. Mr. Harris, 29, was shot and mortally wounded following an argument in the 8900 block of Walker Road.
  • Kentrell Potter, no age or address available, charged with two counts of first-degree rape. Due to the nature of the offenses, his indictment was filed under seal.

January also was marked by major pleadings, sentencings and convictions.

  • William Carl Stanfield pleaded guilty January 31 to a burglary where he and his victim traded gunfire.

    Stanfield, 25, of Mooringsport, admitted in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court to a June 2, 2021 break-in of an elderly Vivian man’s home. Stanfield armed himself with a gun he found in the residence and retreated to a closet when the 73-year-old victim, summoned by his alarm service, returned home. After the exchange of shots, the homeowner held Stanfield at gunpoint until police arrived.

    Neither man suffered any wounds, and it is believed Stanfield’s behavior was occasioned by extensive methamphetamine use. When arrested, he appeared incoherent, exhibited paranoia and imagined he had suffered non-existent injuries, prosecutors say.

    Stanfield pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. When he returns to Judge Hathaway’s court April 3, he faces up to 30 years in prison at hard labor.

    Stanfield was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Clinton Bryce Kinley. He was defended by John Bokenfohr.

  • A Shreveport man who killed his brother following an argument was found guilty January 26 in Caddo District Court.

    The three-man, nine-woman jury in District Judge Chris Victory’s court found Carlin Tremell Cotton, 53, guilty as charged of the August 18, 2021 second-degree murder of his brother, 45-year-old Cedric Cemoyne Fuller.

    On the date of the slaying, Cotton went to the Baxter Street home of Fuller’s mother and got into an altercation with Mr. Fuller. Witnesses reported hearing two bursts of gunfire and upon exiting the residence found Mr. Fuller bleeding, face-down in a puddle. Pathology reports showed Mr. Fuller had been shot five times from the rear, with two of the shots fatal. Mr. Fuller was transported to Ochsner LSU Health hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Cotton later called 911 and admitted shooting Mr. Fuller. Cotton fled but almost two months later was apprehended in Bossier.

    When Cotton returns to Judge Victory’s courtroom February 14, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

    Cotton was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sam Crichton and Victoria Washington. He was defended by Dhu Thompson.

  • A Shreveport man who continued to stalk a woman despite a previous conviction for the threatening behavior, was sentenced to 15 years in prison January 25.

    Daniel Alfonzo Serrano, 33, pleaded guilty to second-offense stalking before District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. The prison term is to be served at hard labor.

    Serrano was previously convicted of stalking the same victim, with whom he never was romantically involved and who did not know him prior to the stalking, on October 6, 2021. He was consistently sending her letters, showing up at her house and exhibiting other harassing behaviors that caused her to fear for her safety.

    Following his initial conviction, Serrano continued to contact the victim online and was subsequently arrested for violation of a protective order. While in jail on that charge he wrote multiple letters to the woman describing his obsession with her. That contact led to second-offense stalking charges.

    Serrano was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Clinton Bryce Kinley. He was defended by Elizabeth Gibson.

  • A Shreveport man convicted of two armed robberies in December must spend the next 95 years in prison, a Caddo District Judge ruled January 23.

    Kenyon Lee Dunams, 32, convicted December 8, 2022, also led police on a high-speed chase through central Shreveport when they attempted to arrest him following the October 2020 crime spree.

    Judge John D. Mosely Jr. sentenced Dunams to 35 years for each robbery, with additional five-year sentence enhancements for the use of a firearm in each robbery, and ordered the sentences to be served consecutively. The terms are to be served without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. Judge Mosely also handed down a prison term of 15 years at hard labor for Dunams being a felon in possession of a firearm. That also is to be served consecutively and without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

    On October 28, 2020, Dunams entered the Thrifty Liquor in the 8600 block of Youree Drive and committed an armed robbery. Several hours later, he entered the Papa Johns in the 3900 block of Youree Drive and committed a second armed robbery. In both robberies, he was armed with a semi-automatic handgun.

    Shreveport police learned that Dunams left the Papa Johns driving a white four-door Cadillac sedan. Officers soon spotted the vehicle and pursued Dunams on Ockley Drive and a high-speed chase ensued. The chase led down Line Avenue and Monrovia Street and eventually to Pierremont Road. Dunams finally was apprehended in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 900 block of Pierremont Road.

    When apprehended, Dunams was the sole occupant of the white Cadillac that was registered to him and whose license plate matched that noted by Papa Johns employees. Officers found distinctive clothing shown in surveillance video from each robbery and also recovered a distinctive mask and handgun discarded on Monrovia along the route of the pursuit. DNA recovered from the mask matched Dunams as well.

    Dunams was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Cheyenne Wilson and Mekisha Smith Creal. He was defended by Larrion Hillman.

  • A 94-year-old Bossier City man charged with a sexual assault on a fifth-grade girl pleaded guilty January 23.

    Otis Leroy Allen, a former Bossier Sheriff’s deputy, admitted to one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of 13 with regard to the November 2019 abuse in his appearance before Caddo District Judge Chris Victory.

    Judge Victory sentenced Allen to serve 10 years in prison at hard labor, with all but two years suspended, and ordered three years of supervision following Allen’s release from prison. The state also secured a permanent protective order, barring Allen from having any contact with the victim or her family. Allen also must pay $5,000 restitution to the victim to pay for counseling and must register as a sex offender for 25 years.

    Allen’s abuse resulted from his access to the child as a “family friend.” He would take the victim to various locations around Shreveport and sexually abuse her during those encounters.

    The victim’s family approved of the plea arrangement and was present in court during the sentencing.  This was a difficult case but the plea agreement kept the little girl from having to recount the horrific acts committed on her by Allen on the witness stand in front of a courtroom of strangers, and kept her from cross-examination by Allen’s attorney.   Allen was out on bond during the pendency of the proceedings, and was immediately remanded to custody to serve his sentence following the plea and sentence.

    Moreover, Allen admitted in court his crimes upon this young girl, giving her closure.  This resolution kept the young lady from being victimized twice, once by Allen and then at trial.   This is always a concern as District Attorney when we have young sex crime victims who must testify at trial and be subject to cross examination by defense attorneys.

    Allen was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ron Christopher Stamps of the DA’s Special Victims Unit. He was defended by Eric Johnson.

  • A man accused of killing his mother’s boyfriend in the Highland neighborhood pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Caddo District Court January 23.

    Fabin Quaderrick Alexander, 28, admitted to fatally shooting Robert J. Lemmon, 57, following a dispute on East Wichita Street March 9, 2021. Mr. Lemmon died at the scene.

    Alexander will return to District Judge Ramona Emanuel’s court March 14 for sentencing.

    Under Louisiana law, a manslaughter conviction carries a maximum prison term of 40 years. Pursuant to the plea, Alexander faces at least 15 years in prison, up to the maximum of 40 years.

    Alexander was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Bill Edwards and Brittany Arvie. He was defended by Royal Alexander.

  • A Shreveport man with a criminal record, convicted of firearms charges in December 2022, was sentenced to the maximum prison terms allowed by law.

    Marcus Randall Williams, 37, was sentenced January 5 by Caddo District Judge Chris Victory to 10 years in prison at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. This resulted from his December 13 conviction for attempted possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a person convicted of domestic abuse battery. He also was ordered to serve 2-1/2 years hard labor and pay a fine of $2,500 for conviction of attempted possession of stolen firearms. The terms are to be served concurrently.

    Williams, who has a 2019 conviction for domestic abuse aggravated assault, had been stopped by police for a traffic violation on March 3, 2021. Officers noticed a strong odor of marijuana while talking to Williams, who admitted to using marijuana just prior to the stop. Searching the vehicle, officers found a Phoenix handgun in the back seat. The gun had been reported stolen out of Mansfield.

    Williams was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Victoria Washington and Terry Pittman Jr. He was defended by Michael Enright and Dave Knadler.

  • A Shreveport man accused of illegal possession of a gun while carrying a variety of prohibited hard drugs pleaded guilty January 18 and was immediately sentenced to serve 15 years in prison.

    Caddo District Judge Erin Leigh Waddell Garrett sentenced Demarco Deon Hill, 38, after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon and illegal carrying of weapons while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He had been scheduled for a jury trial February 6.

    Judge Garrett ordered Hill to serve 15 years without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the firearms conviction and to 10 years for pleading guilty to illegal carrying of weapons while in possession of controlled dangerous substances. The terms are to be served concurrently.

    On December 15, 2021, Shreveport Police responded to a dispute call in the 1600 block of Centenary Boulevard. Arriving officers found Hill yelling in the walkway of the Highland Village Apartments. He was armed with two pocket knives clipped to his front pocket and a large knife secured in a sheath sling on his chest. Upon being searched he was found in possession of a glass pipe with narcotics residue inside, a .22 caliber pistol secured to his right ankle, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and a digital scale.

    Hill was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ross Owen and was defended by John Evans.

  • A Shreveport man charged with committing three separate armed robberies was convicted as charged on all counts January 13.

    Jermon M. James, 20, faces at least 10 years, and up to 99 years in prison for each of the robberies when he returns to face District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. March 28. The sentences must be served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

    The three-man, nine-woman jury deliberated for approximately 35 minutes before returning its verdicts.

    James was charged with three separate armed robberies that occurred over the space of two days, December 4-5, 2019. Two were at separate locations on Jewella Avenue, while a third occurred on Pines Road. Each involved the use of a handgun.

    He was arrested in Bossier City in the commission of a fourth alleged armed robbery.

    Assistant District Attorneys Courtney Ray and Victoria Washington prosecuted the case. James was defended by Elizabeth Gibson and Carter Lawrence.

  • A man accused of the horrific death of a 5-year-old girl playing in a room of the motel her parents owned was found responsible for the death by Caddo Parish jurors January 13.

    The seven-man, five-woman jury in District Judge John D. Mosely Jr.’s court found Shreveporter Joseph Lee Smith, 35, responsively guilty of manslaughter in connection with the March 2021 slaying of Mya Patel. Smith was found guilty as-charged on separate charges of aggravated battery and obstruction of justice.

    The jury heard that on March 20, 2021, Smith got into an altercation with another man in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel in the 4900 block of Monkhouse Drive in west Shreveport. The motel was owned and operated at that time by Vimal and Snehal Patel, who lived in a ground-floor unit with Mya and a younger sibling. During the altercation, Smith struck the other man with a 9-mm handgun, which discharged. The bullet missed the other man, but went into the apartment to struck young Mya Patel in the head before grazing Snehal Patel. Mya died of her wound on March 23, 2021.

    When Smith returns to court February 27, he faces a prison sentence of up to 40 years at hard labor for the manslaughter conviction. He faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000 for the aggravated battery conviction and up to 40 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000 for the obstruction conviction.

    Smith was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Mekisha Smith Creal and Monique Y. Metoyer. He was defended by Casey Simpson and Harry Johnson.

  • A Natchitoches man was found guilty January 12 of manslaughter in connection with two deaths at a local nightspot.

    The 12-person jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court unanimously found Trevarious Winslow, 27, responsible for the deaths of Chasmine Walters, 22, and Lee’Jerryius Baines, 29, on June 9, 2019. The two were shot and killed following an altercation at the Royalty Lounge in the 200 block of Texas Street in downtown Shreveport. Winslow was employed as a security guard at the club at the time.

    Jurors heard that Winslow hid the firearm he employed to exchange gunfire with a crowd of clubgoers, a gun covered in blood that contained his DNA.

    When Winslow returns to Judge Hathaway’s court March 6, he faces up to 40 years at hard labor on each count.

    Winslow was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jason Waltman and Courtney Ray. He was defended by Steven Glassell and Ebony Norris.

  • A pair of Shreveport men facing trials for firing guns at a Shreveport police officer must serve serious prison time after they pleaded guilty January 9.

    Rodriguez Smith, 41, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a peace officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while Ladarren Jackson, 38, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a peace officer.

    They pleaded guilty just before their trials were to have begun in District Judge John D. Mosely Jr.’s courtroom.

    Each defendant was sentenced to eight years at hard labor on their respective aggravated assault convictions. Smith also was sentenced to 13 years on the firearm conviction.

    On September 15, 2018, a concerned citizen called 911 and reported that two men  were walking down the street shooting handguns into the air. Shreveport Police Sgt. Mike Jones responded, and as he exited his cruiser, Smith and Jackson both assumed ambush postures and brandished their firearms. In the exchange of gunfire both defendants were shot. Smith was apprehended and his 9 mm handgun was recovered. Sgt. Jones’ shots struck Smith’s gun twice, inflicting damage that established it had been pointed at the officer when damaged. Jackson fled to his residence about three blocks away, but he was identified and quickly apprehended. The gun he’d brandished was found during a search of the home. Much of the incident was captured on Sgt. Jones’ dashcam.

    Assistant District Attorneys Christopher Bowman and Alexandra Porubsky prosecuted.  J. Antonio Florence represented Smith, while Harry Johnson represented Jackson.


So you can see that January provided a busy start to 2023!

At your service, as always, and wishing all of you a happy and safe February.

Best,

James E. Stewart, Sr.
Caddo Parish District Attorney

Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office | January 2023