Police chief: Plea deal let violent suspect go

As Patterson police try to find a suspect in a Friday shooting, Police Chief Patrick LaSalle says a December 2017 plea deal put the suspect with an allegedly lengthy violent history back on the streets.

Prosecutors say they accepted the plea agreement due to concerns over being able to get a conviction on several different charges.

Authorities are still trying to locate Robert J. Parker Jr., 37, of Patterson, who is wanted in connection with a Friday night shooting in Patterson on charges of aggravated assault, discharging a firearm in the city limits, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting an officer by flight.

On Friday night, Parker approached another man near the intersection of Sixth and Park streets in Patterson, LaSalle said. Parker is accused of firing a gun three times at the man but did not hit him, the chief said.

Police attempted to arrest Parker on Saturday, but he evaded authorities. Police did recover a 26 Glock pistol with extended magazines capable of holding up to 60 rounds of ammunition that Parker is believed to have used in the shooting, LaSalle said. On Wednesday, LaSalle said that he planned to request help from U.S. marshals to try to apprehend Parker.

LaSalle said he disagreed with prosecutors’ decision not to prosecute charges against Parker stemming from a January 2017 incident at a bar in Patterson.

The 16th Judicial District Attorney had originally filed a bill of information in connection with that incident, charging Parker with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or carrying a concealed weapon, possession of cocaine, resisting a police officer with force or violence, battery of a police officer, and possession of a firearm on the premises of alcoholic beverage in that incident.

The charges in that case were dismissed along with a battery of a correctional facility employee charge from a June 2017 incident at the St. Mary Parish jail as part of a December 2017 plea deal in a drug case. With the plea deal, he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine in connection with a February 2014 traffic stop in Berwick by St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives, court records stated.

Assistant District Attorney Wayne Simoneaud handled the case in connection with the January 2017 incident in Patterson, but not the June 2017 incident at parish jail.

“There were some issues surrounding both of those cases,” Simoneaud said. “We decided to wrap them all up together in a plea deal.”

In the January 2017 incident, Patterson police had responded to Club 360 in regard to an individual who was allegedly selling drugs and had a gun, Simoneaud said. There was some “conflicting testimony in the reports” by both Patterson officers who responded to the scene in regard to the gun found on Parker, Simoneaud said. Another possible credibility issue in the case was due to an item that officers located after bringing Parker to the police department, he said.

According to LaSalle, in January 2017, Patterson police received a call and arrived at a bar. Officers identified Parker, who was selling drugs, and saw a gun on him, LaSalle said. The officers approached Parker and an altercation ensued.

Police then arrested Parker, who also had cocaine on him and a loaded 40 Glock pistol with a 30 round extended magazine, LaSalle said. Police seized that weapon.

Parker has an “extensive violent history,” LaSalle said Monday. In addition to Parker’s December 2017 plea deal, St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court records show that Parker had a felony conviction in 2005 for attempted distribution of cocaine. He also has some misdemeanor convictions.

The list of charges filed against him over the years is much longer. According to court records, since 1999, charges have been filed in 26 separate cases, including accusations of violence, against Parker.

After Parker’s December 2017 guilty plea, Judge Lori Landry sentenced Parker to serve two years in St. Mary Parish jail, and gave him credit for all time served in the matter, court records said. The minute entry of the guilty plea didn’t specify how long Parker had served in jail before the plea.

“He walked right out,” LaSalle said, referring to Parker’s release from jail following the plea agreement.

Anyone with information on Parker’s whereabouts should call the Patterson Police Department at 985-395-6161.