February may be the shortest month of the year, but your District Attorney’s office remained busy throughout the month.
The Caddo Parish Grand Jury returned two indictments on February 15, 2023.
In the first indictment, Terrance Malik Dangerfield, 25, was charged with two counts of negligent homicide, hit-and-run driving, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute Schedule 1 narcotics and illegal carrying of a weapon with a controlled dangerous substance.
The charges are all in connection with the January 10, 2023 death of Faith Alexander, 31, and the January 11, 2023 death of her daughter, Amelia R. Ellis, 4. The two women were mortally injured when their vehicle was struck by Dangerfield’s vehicle as he fled a traffic stop on the Terry Bradshaw Passway.
In the second indictment, Torail Ladell Thomas, 43, was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and obstruction of justice in connection with the November 10, 2022 slaying of Datwaine Jambor Broomfield, 32. Mr. Broomfield, of the 9700 block of Charleston Drive in Shreveport, was shot numerous times in the 400 block of Boulevard Street.
Our office also secured a number of other convictions and sentences, among them:
Charlie Lee Blow Jr., 36, of Mooringsport, was found guilty as charged February 7 by the seven-woman, five-man jury in District Judge Erin Leigh Waddell Garrett’s court following an hour’s deliberation on three counts: possession of the Schedule II controlled dangerous substance methamphetamine; possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon after having been previously convicted of domestic abuse battery; and illegal carrying of a weapon while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
On July 7th, 2022, Shreveport police responded to the 300 block of Pierre Avenue after getting reports of an armed person. Blow, sitting across from the complainant’s address, and he advanced aggressively at officers upon initial contact. After Blow was detained and placed in a police car, officers found a loaded revolver and a crack pipe where Blow had first been observed. Post-Miranda, Blow admitted the crack pipe was his and that he had possessed the revolver, which belonged to an acquaintance. During jail processing, methamphetamine and another crack pipe were found on Blow’s person.
Blow was sentenced February 28 in Caddo District Court. Judge Garrett sentenced him to 18 months at hard labor for conviction on possession of under 2 grams of methamphetamine, to 15 years without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and to seven years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for possession of a firearm while in possession of the controlled dangerous substance methamphetamine. The sentences were ordered run concurrently with one another but consecutive to any other sentences.
Blow was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ross Owen and Erica Jefferson. He was defended by Allison Melton-Griffin and Evan McMichael.
Other February cases of interest:
- On February 22, two Caddo Parish teens were the subjects of a continued custody hearing in Caddo Juvenile Court. Prosecution of Demarquise Tramiel and Mark White, both 17, automatically transferred to Caddo District Court for adult prosecution after the finding of probable cause by Juvenile Judge Ree Casey-Jones in the February 7 death of De’Anthony Johnson. Mr. Johnson, 19, was shot as he rode a bicycle near the Goodwill outlet in the 800 block of West 70th Street. Assistant District Attorney Jerry Deason Jr. presented evidence to the court. The teens can be tried as adults under provisions of Louisiana Children’s Code Article 305, which allows a District Attorney to have jurisdiction of certain juvenile offenders age 15 or older transferred to District Court. Final determination of charges will be be made after the case is presented to the Caddo Parish Grand Jury. In this case, police responding to the shooting call pursued a tip that shots had been fired from a yellow Camaro. Within minutes, officers located a car of that make and color in the immediate area of the shooting scene. Using emergency lights and sirens, numerous officers attempted numerous traffic stops. The occupants of the vehicle led officers on a lengthy vehicle pursuit through Shreveport. The Camaro, later found to have been stolen, reached speeds in excess of 120 mph and fled to Bossier City, where it was wrecked on Benton Road, where the youths were taken into custody. Inside the wrecked vehicle, an AR pistol-style rifle was located, and an AK-47 style rifle was found near the vehicle. The two firearms matched 28 expended shell casings recovered from the homicide scene. Additional probable cause findings of illegal possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated flight from an officer also were rendered on both defendants.
- A Shreveport man who robbed a local couple and fired shots at them and their vehicle as they fled was found guilty in Caddo District Court February 17. Isaiah Malick Childs, 25, was found responsively guilty of first-degree robbery by the five-man, seven-woman jury in District Judge Ramona Emanuel’s court after 70 minutes of deliberation. The verdict was unanimous. On February 4, 2018, Childs inquired on a Facebook group about purchasing a backpack from his female victim, and after discussion suggested she meet him in the 1400 block of Andrew Avenue. The victim, her husband and their children drove to the specified address. After getting the backpack, Childs inquired about buying a wallet as well. As the woman turned around from getting the wallet out of the vehicle, Childs put a gun to her head, snatched the wallet and demanded other items. Childs pointed the gun at the husband as well, at which point the woman jumped back in the car to lay on top of her children to protect them. That was when the husband sped off in the car, Childs firing his weapon four times as they fled. One shot struck the vehicle. Childs was identified by the victim and her husband at trial and was remanded by the court.
When Childs returns to court March 28, he faces imprisonment at hard labor for not less than three years and up to 40 years, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. Childs was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Senae D. Hall and Brittany B. Arvie. He was defended by Public Defenders Katherine Ferguson, Royal Alexander and Evan McMichael.
- A Shreveport man who killed his brother following an argument was sentenced to life in prison February 14 in Caddo District Court. As members of his victim’s family watched, District Judge Chris Victory formally sentenced Carlin Tremell Cotton, 53, to the mandatory life in prison without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for 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. Cotton was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sam Crichton and Victoria Washington. He was defended by Dhu Thompson.
- A Shreveport teen pleaded guilty as charged to armed robbery and weapons charges in Caddo District Court February 13 and must spend the next 17 years in prison.
Fabian Johnson II, 19, pleaded guilty as charged to armed robbery and attempted armed robbery, each with enhancement for the use of a firearm in the commission of the crime, and illegal possession of stolen firearms before District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. The guilty pleas occurred just before potential jurors were to be questioned for his trial.
Johnson was sentenced to 12 years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on both the armed robbery and attempted armed robbery convictions, each with a consecutive five-year firearm enhancement. He also was sentenced to five years at hard labor for illegal possession of stolen firearms, to be served concurrently with the robbery sentences. On March 15, 2022, Johnson’s two victims met with Johnson and a juvenile co-defendant at an apartment in the 8900 block of Youree Drive. Johnson was in the back seat of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims when he pulled out an AR-style firearm and demanded that the victims give him their valuables. Johnson took a gold necklace from one victim while armed with the weapon. Once outside the vehicle, the minor co-defendant shot into the windshield of the vehicle, causing minor injuries to one of the victims. The previous month, Johnson was found roaming the same area with a .40 caliber firearm and an AR-style pistol concealed on his person. The .40 caliber firearm had been reported as stolen.
Johnson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Cheyenne Wilson and Christian Redmon. He was defended by Casey Simpson and Harry Johnson.
- A Caddo Parish jury found Shreveporter Santavius Deangelo Bailey guilty February 9 of aggravated flight from an officer and two weapons charges that resulted in a 21-year prison sentence March 2. The three-man, nine-woman jury in District Judge Chris Victory’s court determined that Bailey, 34, was guilty as charged on the three counts he faced: aggravated flight from an officer, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal possession of stolen firearms. On March 26, 2022, Shreveport police responded to a restaurant on Monkhouse Drive after getting reports that an inebriated man tried to fight employees. Given a description of the drunk’s vehicle, police attempted to stop Bailey for questioning. But he drove off at a high rate of speed down Monkhouse and Jefferson Paige Road, going into oncoming traffic, leaving the roadway multiple times, running a stop sign and a red light until he drove his car into a ditch. Bailey was ejected, along with a handgun and other items, through the windshield. Police later found the gun, which had been reported as stolen. Judge Victory sentenced Bailey to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm, three years for aggravated flight from an officer(deemed to be a crime of violence) and three years for illegal possession of stolen firearms. The court ordered the terms to be served consecutively for the total of 21 years. Bailey was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sam Crichton and Victoria Washington. He was defended by Dave Knadler and Michael Enright.
- A Shreveport woman who systematically stole more than $83,000 from her employer was found guilty of felony theft by a Caddo Parish jury February 9. Micquela Bell, 37, was found guilty by the seven-man, five-woman jury in District Judge Donald Hathaway Jr.’s court. Jurors deliberated just over 30 minutes before returning their verdict of guilty as charged of felony theft of $25,000 or more. Bell was employed by a home care service and from March through October 2020 paid personal bills, such as utilities and personal car insurance, with the business account. In October 2020, the business account was used to completely pay off Bell’s student loans, more than $25,000, in a single day. The total loss was $83,985. Bell was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Bryce Kinley and Courtney Ray. Sean Landry was the defense attorney.
- Shreveporter Keith Brown II, 36, was convicted in Caddo District Court February 7 of attempted indecent behavior with a juvenile for acts committed almost a decade ago.
The five-woman, one-man jury in District Judge Chris Victory’s court deliberated 20 minutes before returning an affirmative verdict of attempted indecent behavior with a juvenile. On July 19, 2014, a counselor reported to police that the 15-year-old victim notified her and her mother that Brown, the mother’s boyfriend, would sneak into her bed and hold her. The victim said he would grab her buttocks on top of her clothing and cuddle with her while dressed in his underwear. Brown remained in the home and continued to commit acts upon the victim. After the first report, police were unable to get in touch with the victim to continue the investigation. But in 2019 another underage victim came forward with allegations against Brown. The new victim was a victim of sex trafficking who had been brought to Shreveport from Texas. This reopened the original victim’s case and prompted a new search to locate the original victim. She was located and interviewed, and her account remained unchanged. Brown will return to Judge Victory’s court March 15, where he faces up to three-and-a-half years in prison with or without hard labor and/or a fine of up to $2,500. He also must register as a sex offender. Brown was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Victoria Washington and Terry J. Pittman. He was defended by Larrion Hillman.
- A Shreveport man pleaded guilty in Caddo District Court to four gun and drug charges February 6 and was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison. Jhumarcus Chatman, 25, pleaded before District Judge Erin Leigh Waddell Garrett, admitting the offenses that occurred in November 2021. Chatman pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute the Schedule I controlled dangerous substance marijuana and to possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon. On November 10th, 2021, members of the Shreveport Police Department’s Violent Crimes Abatement Team, or VCAT, investigated a citizen complaint of narcotics activity in the 100 block of Hamilton Street. Officers observed an illegally parked Chevy Malibu and contacted the driver, Mr. Chatman, when he exited the vehicle. Chatman said the car didn’t belong to him, but nervously distanced himself from the vehicle. While conducting a visual inspection of the vehicle, police saw a baggie of what appeared to be marijuana on the front passenger seat, next to an assault-style pistol. Police ran the car’s VIN and found it had been reported stolen. Chatman was arrested and Mirandized. Police found the keys to the stolen car in his front left pocket. Police also found a second bag of marijuana, a glass jar containing marijuana, digital scales and packaging material. Post-Miranda, Chatman admitted the marijuana was his for personal use. He denied owning the weapon recovered from the vehicle. After pleading, Chatman immediately was sentenced by Judge Garrett to 10 years’ hard labor for the drug possession conviction and to 15 years at hard labor without without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, and a $1000 fine, for the weapons possession conviction. The fine was converted to 400 days in prison in lieu of costs. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently with each other, but consecutive to any other sentence he may be serving.
Chatman was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ross Owen. He was defended by Hillary Hileman.
- A Caddo Parish man was found guilty February 7 of committing a lewd act against a 10-year-old girl as she slept.
The six-woman, six-man jury in District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.’s court found Joshua Masters, 39, guilty as charged of indecent behavior with a juvenile under age 13.
On September 28, 2021, Masters was found by his live-in girlfriend in the bedroom of her 10-year-old daughter, masturbating to the child’s exposed rear-end. The child had taken melatonin to go to sleep that night and Masters had waited until the girl and her mother had fallen asleep before performing the lewd and lascivious act. The child, her mother, and the investigating officer testified. The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning its verdict. Masters is a registered sex offender and his prior conviction for rape by instrumentation on an unconscious victim from Bryan County, Oklahoma, was presented to the jury. Masters will return to Judge Hathaway’s court for sentencing March 27. He faces from two to 25 years in prison at hard labor, with at least the first two years to be served without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. Masters was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Jason W. Waltman. He was defended by Elizabeth Gibson and Carter Lawrence.
- A Shreveport man convicted on of drugs and weapons possession charges in November was sentenced to serve more than 16 years in prison. Flenory Frazier III, 56, was convicted November 15, 2022 in Caddo District Judge Erin Leigh Waddell Garrett’s courtroom. Wednesday, On February 1, Judge Garrett sentenced him to the 16-year term at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, and to pay a $1,000 fine for a possession of a firearm by a convicted felon conviction. She ordered Frazier to serve 400 days in lieu of paying the fine, to be served consecutively with the hard labor sentence.
Frazier also was sentenced to serve 10 years at hard labor, also without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, for conviction on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He also was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor for conviction on a charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Judge Garrett ordered the sentences to run concurrently with each other, but consecutive to any other sentences. Frazier, convicted of several felonies in recent years, was on probation on June 11, 2021, when probation agents encountered him cleaning out his vehicle that emanated a strong odor of marijuana. Officers searched Frazier’s vehicle and recovered marijuana, digital scales, packaging material, more than $1,500 in cash and a loaded Walther 9-mm handgun. Frazier was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ross Owen and Erica Jefferson. He was defended by Evan McMichael and Hilary Hileman.
The citizens of Caddo Parish have been well served by the assistant district attorneys and judges of the Caddo Courts, and can look forward to more jury trials and pleadings in the months to come.
I want to note and thank my numerous Assistant District Attorneys who took the time to volunteer to speak to our area schoolchildren at the annual Read America celebration at Linwood Charter Middle School, and the career fairs and African American History events at Bossier Elementary School and Walnut Hill Middle School. I encourage our ADAs to reach back into the community and speak to children whenever they are able, and I thank these schools for the invitations.
I had the privilege to speak at my own alma mater, C.E. Byrd High School, along with Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Scott Crichton this past Friday, to the assembled students regarding an array of topics affecting their lives. I also continue to encourage all to support with your attendance the young people who are doing good in this community. I congratulate the Parkway Lady Panthers on their state title and wish the Huntington boys basketball team the best in their semifinal game Wednesday versus Scotlandville.
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 | February 2023