Slidell teen arrested five times in one year

Slidell police officers are very familiar with Leighton M. Powe Jr.

For the fifth time in one year, Powe is behind bars after he was arrested Oct. 29 for two counts of simple burglary and two counts of theft of a firearm.

Powe, 18, 214 Oriole Drive, Slidell, allegedly stole guns, medications, video games and DVDs from two houses on Oct. 29, according to Slidell police spokesman Capt. Kevin Foltz.

This is just one arrest in a string of crimes allegedly committed by Powe going back to July 2007, when he was arrested for illegal carrying of a weapon, possession of marijuana, disturbing the peace and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to Rick Wood, spokesperson for St. Tammany District Attorney Walter Reed, all the charges were dropped during an Oct. 8, 2008, trial in the Slidell City Court.

Powe was arrested one more time in October 2007 for inciting a riot. In the October incident, Powe was one of 18 youths arrested for inciting to riot after a big fight started at a house on Rue Rochelle in Slidell.

Slidell Police didn’t hear from Powe again until April 17, 2008, when he was arrested for criminal mischief, improper turning and no driver’s license. According to Foltz, Powe scared a 13-year-old girl into thinking she was being kidnapped. After his arrest, Powe told police it was a joke.

“He told us, ‘we were just playing a game with her’,” Foltz said.

Eleven days later, on April 28, Powe was arrested again for shoplifting, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wood said the disposition of those charges are on hold until Powe’s Nov. 17 trial for a May 15, 2008, arrest on charges of unauthorized use of a stolen credit card, bank fraud and possession of stolen things. Powe and a friend, Steven Steubenrauch, 18, of Slidell allegedly burglarized a Slidell home where they stole drugs along with a wallet containing cash and credit cards. Foltz said Powe allegedly used the credit cards at several stores in Slidell. Powe was arrested once again on July 13 for allegedly burglarizing a car on April 27. Powe will stand trial on that charge at the same Nov. 17 trial in Judge Raymond Childress’ court.

The most recent arrest for Powe came after Slidell detectives turned up witnesses who gave Powe a ride to a video gaming store where police were able to connect Powe and two other suspects to the burglaries.

Detectives called Powe’s father, who brought Powe into police headquarters Oct. 29 with one of the stolen guns and some of the stolen video games. Foltz said warrants will be issued shortly for the other two burglary suspects.

Wood said Powe’s record will weigh heavily against him during the Nov. 17 trial.

“Burglary is a bondable offense, even after two or three burglaries,” Wood said, “But with all these arrests, his bond will go up.”

If convicted, Powe could face concurrent sentences for all the charges, which would mean a long time in jail.