By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – More charges and more arrests continued this week in connection with an 18-month burglary ring which operated in St. John the Baptist Parish.

The alleged ringleader, a man described on the street as “the bin-Laden of Reserve” was captured Oct. 2 by authorities, according to Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, thanks to an anonymous tip.

Alton Placide Jr., 32, is connected with 55 business burglaries and attempted burglaries during the past 18 months, in LaPlace, Garyville, Reserve and Edgard, Jones said.

In addition, 10 other suspects connected with the burglaries are either in custody or being sought at this time. Placide’s bond was set at $560,000 by 40th Judicial District Judge J. Sterling Snowdy.

More arrests have resulted from the continued investigation, Capt. Michael Tregre said, including the following:

• Carl Michael Cosey, 20, 310 E. 13th St., Reserve, 10 counts burglary.

• Cardell Cosey, 20, 223 E. 14th St., Reserve, 14 counts burglary.

• Tyrone Joseph, 18, 357 E. 16th St., Reserve, five counts burglary; $96,000 bond.

• Damon S. Smith, 40, 160 E. 13th St., Reserve, five counts burglary; $200,000 bond..

• Alan A. Burl, 24, 1508 Belle Pointe Drive, LaPlace, four counts burglary; $105,000 bond.

• Bryant Nickolas James, 23, 10293 Illinois Road, Hammond, one count burglary and one count being a fugitive from another agency; $40,000 bond.

• Shannon Brown, 19, 335 Historic Main St., Garyville, one count simple burglary and contempt of court; $20,000 bond.

• Brian Kennedy, 24, 349 Linwood St., LaPlace, one count accessory after the fact of simple burglary; $15,000 bond.

Two more suspects are being sought, as of press time. Anyone with information on them should call 985-652-6338.

• Jermaine Carter, facing five counts burglary.

• Keith Hart, facing one count burglary.

Burl was initially brought in Aug. 8 on charges of distribution of cocaine and marijuana.

Cousins Carl and Cardell Cosey were initially brought in Aug. 24 and Sept. 4 on attempted first-degree murder charges from the Aug. 20 shooting incident in the Reserve Oaks Housing Development. Carl has been linked with 10 of the burglary incidents, the last on Aug. 20, the same day as the shooting incident. Cardell has been linked with 14 of the burglary incidents, the last on Aug. 30, Jones said.

Initially, Placide was charged with aggravated battery, remaining in places after being forbidden, possession of stolen items valued at less than $300, distribution of marijuana, issuing worthless checks of less than $100, resisting an officer by flight and distribution of cocaine.

These were charges unrelated to the burglary spree, and deputies located him, thanks to an anonymous tip.

Jones said a “conspiracy of silence” protected Placide all those months, aided by some people in hiding for fear of retribution. “The word was out, if you turned him in, you’d be killed,” Jones said.

“They put out maximum effort and worked very hard,” Jones said.

Four months ago, Jones assembled a task force, commanded by Maj. Robert Hay, to track down Placide, which efforts finally produced the arrests, the detectives included Sgt. Royal Burke, Lt. Todd Hymel, Lt. Kenneth Mitchell, Sgt. Ricardo Colas, Sgt. Freddie Young, Sgt. Andy Breaux, Sgt. Walter Stevens, Sgt. Terrill St. Martin, Sgt. Carl Baker, Lt. Octavio Gonzalez and Capt. C.J. Destor.

A chronology of the incidents provided to the media began with the April 20, 2001 burglary at Towahpahsah Lounge in Reserve and continued up to the day before Placide’s arrest.

Certain locations seemed to also merit extra attention, such as Don’s Country Store in Reserve, which was struck three times, on May 16 and Oct. 3, 2001, and also May 9, 2002.

On the first occasion, a safe was stolen and bashed apart with sledge-hammers to get at the cash inside.

“Me, I’m just relieved,” store manager Barry Cancienne said. “As long as they get them off the street, I’ll be happy.”

Harvey Weber of Weber’s Supermarket in Reserve said he was “glad they got them,” but “it don’t bring the money back.” His store was hit twice, on June 20 and Sept. 5 of this year.

Weber said he checks the perimeter of the building before entering and before he leaves each day, checking the security of his store and the safety of his employees and customers.

The ring also struck at Hibernia Bank branches in Edgard (June 25, 2001), Reserve (May 7 and Aug. 30, 2002) and LaPlace (Oct. 1). On two occasions, Placide struck three targets on a single day – L. & Sons and Jr. Food Marts in Reserve and Garyville on Jan. 13, 2002; and Don’s, B.J.’s Pawn Shop and South Central Bell on May 9, 2002.

The group, in various combinations, also struck at Auto Zone, Superfoods, Finish Line, Taft Credit Union, Connie’s, C&T Grocery, River Parishes Credit Union, L. & Son’s Plumbing, Jr.’s Food Mart in Reserve and Garyville, Bully’s Halfway House, B.J.’s Pawn Shop, Riverbend Lanes, Dream’s Lounge, Starz Hair Salon, LaPlace Mini Storage, LaPlace Phone Company, Time-Warner Cable, Stell’s Furniture, Nick’s Firing Range, Spur Gasoline at Belle Pointe Blvd. and Airline Highway, A3M Vacuum Service, Reserve Telephone Company and at the driver’s license bureau. Placide was connected by detectives with burglaries at Donnelly’s Jewelers, Tommy B’s Lounge, Fred’s Discount Store, Ming Hui Mart, Phillip Services, R.J.’s Lounge, Ram Car Wash, B&B Food Store, Republic Finance, Trosclair’s, Bouchereau Oil, and Local Finance.

The case also had light moments. At one point, a deputy was in the Misssissippi River, trying to retrieve the safe from Dream’s Lounge and tethered to another deputy, Detective Sgt. Terrill St. Martin. Suddenly, St. Martin slipped and plunged waist-deep in the water, damaging his pager and cellular phone. On the shore, Placide was handcuffed to Maj. Hay, watching.

“Way to go, 5-12,” Placide said with a smile, referring to St. Martin’s radio identification number and showing off his knowledge of the office’s movements throughout the investigation.