DA’s Office Secures 185 Convictions Via Guilty Plea In June 2022

NEW ORLEANS – Today, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (OPDA) announced that 185 convictions were secured ​via guilty plea in the month of June 2022. The guilty pleas secured included a number of violent offenses, such as domestic abuse, illegal possession of weapons, kidnapping, manslaughter, theft, and sexual assault.

District Attorney Jason Williams said, “The DA’s Office is committed to using every tool in our arsenal to hold those who commit violent offenses accountable. The goal, as always, is increasing safety and delivering justice for the people of New Orleans. The 185 convictions we secured last month is a testament to our unwavering commitment to that ​mission.”

Thus far in 2022, the DA’s Office has secured a total of 1,416 convictions via guilty plea. Last year, despite court closures, OPDA secured over 3,500 convictions via guilty plea in over 1,700 cases. Our office is laser-focused on prosecuting violent crimes committed in our neighborhoods.

The guilty pleas secured in 2022 complement the success of DA Williams and OPDA prosecutors to secure convictions ​via jury trial since the resumption of jury trials in March. When cases come to OPDA with sufficient evidence, the District Attorney’s Office has vigorously fought for victims of violent crimes. Guilty jury trial verdicts secured since March include:

• DA Williams, along with OPDA Trials Division Chief Matthew Derbes, secured the conviction of Samuel Hunter for the Second Degree Murder of Anthony Bridges in the 1700 block of Monroe Street on Christmas Day 2020.
• ADAs Liz Strauss and Adele Krieger secured the conviction of Demeccio Caston for the Second Degree Murder of Patrick Lamar in New Orleans East in August 2019.
• ADAs Samantha Stagias and Carmen Gealogo secured the conviction of Trae Williams for the manslaughter of his uncle Eddie Salvant III in Algiers in April 2014.
• Chief Derbes and ADA Joe Zanetti secured the conviction of Harrison Bethley for the murder of his cousin, Darnell Thomas, in the 1800 block of Treasure Street in February 2020.
• ADAs Corbin Bates and Carmen Gealogo secured the conviction of Jhustyn Garrett for Domestic Abuse stemming from an incident that took place in the 5700 block of Saint Anthony Street.
• DA Williams, along with OPDA Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Unit Chief Mary Glass and ADA Naomi Jones, secured the conviction of William McDonough for the rape of a victim in the 900 block of Poeyfarre Street in September 2016.
• ADA/Screening Division Chief Andre Gaudin and First Asst. Ned McGowan secured the conviction of Christopher Alexander for the murder of Idrick Brister in New Orleans East in 2018.
• ADAs Simone Levine and Brad Scott secured the conviction of Gerald “Frog” West for the murder of Marion Brit Hutson, Jr. in New Orleans East in February 2018.
• SAKI Chief Mary Glass and ADA Naomi Jones secured the cold case conviction of defendant Roland Butler for kidnapping, robbery, and sexual assault in the 1100 block of Toledano Street in 1996.
• ADA Samantha Stagias secured the conviction of Tremaine Williams for Aggravated Battery and Felon with a Firearm in New Orleans East in September 2020.
• DA Williams, along with ADAs Christian Hebert-Pryor and Screening Chief Andre Gaudin, secured the conviction of Garrett Ward for the killing of 60-year-old Arnold Jackson in the 2000 block of Saint Charles Avenue in January 2018.
• Deputy Chief of Trials Lilian Hangartner and ADA Samantha Stagias secured the unanimous conviction of Joshua Riley for a Third Degree Rape that took place in the French Quarter in July 2019.
• ADAs Alex Calenda and Katherine Messina secured the conviction of Michael Robinson for the Second Degree Murders of Leroy Benn, Jr., Gavonte Lampkin, and Shantrell Parker that took place in the in the 5000 block of Tullis Street in Gentilly in July 2018.
• ADAs Tori Guidry and Susan Kutcher secured the conviction of Damien Jenkins for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, which took place in the 3600 block of General De Gaulle Drive in Algiers in March 2020.
• Deputy Chief of Trials Lilian Hangartner and ADA Penny Kissinger secured the conviction of defendant Shonnon Esteen for the rape of two minors in Orleans Parish between 2006 to 2010.

DESPITE SUCCESS BY PROSECUTORS IN COURT, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE STILL NEEDED FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THIS CRIME SURGE AND TO HELP INCREASE SAFETY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Since November 2021, the DA’s Office has argued that as the caseload increases due to the crime surge and COVID-19 backlog, OPDA is in need of additional staff, funding, and resources. District Attorney Williams continues to double down on his request to the New Orleans City Council and Mayor LaToya Cantrell to fund our requests for additional lawyers, more DNA testing analysts, and Cold Case funding, among other needs, to improve OPDA’s capacity and help prosecutors build stronger cases.

The City of New Orleans has millions of dollars from the federal government that are earmarked for this exact need that are not being spent. The District Attorney’s Office needs immediate action to hire more people to handle this increased workload.

“We are prosecutors. Trying cases in front of a jury is what we do, so we are excited to be back in court presenting cases with strong evidence in pursuit of justice and increased safety. However, we are faced with some of the most unprecedented challenges this office has ever seen. From an increased case load to a large DNA backlog, our office needs support and resources from City leadership,” said District Attorney Williams. “These times are absolutely the most challenging we’ve faced in recent history, but we are holding those who commit violent offenses accountable and securing justice for the victims and families. This office will be steadfast in restoring trust in our criminal legal system by securing convictions in the most difficult cases as well as addressing decades of indifference to the concerns of the community.”

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