LAPLACE — One local man in custody and another facing trial for the armed robbery and kidnapping of LaPlace business owners had their charges dropped this month after the District Attorney’s Office nolle prosequi their cases.

The D.A.’s moves mean prosecutors are abandoning pursuit of the cases in court.

According to the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court’s Office, Clarence Bolden, of Reserve was ordered released from jail during court proceedings Oct. 17, while at the same time Herbert Johnson Jr., of Reserve, who was not present, also had his case abandoned.

Bolden and Johnson were arrested in 2015 after the owners of Cash 4 Less were kidnapped in their home and taken to their business, where they were robbed.

District Attorney Bridget A. Dinvaut said evidence presented by the St. John Sheriff’s Office did not support the burden of “guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“When we do not have that evidence, that evidence is not made available to us, we have to send it back to the Sheriff’s Office and start all over,” Dinvaut said. “We have to go back to the drawing board, because it does not meet the elements of the crime.”

Dinvaut said there are many elements of the case that are “very suspicious,” but it was not enough to secure criminal convictions. She said her office identified 11 elements that led to the nolle prosequi decisions.

“I wouldn’t want to disclose what we already have or what the deficiencies are,” Dinvaut said. “I don’t want to hinder (future investigation) or these defendants.

“If (the Sheriff’s Office goes) back to the drawing board, presents us with some additional evidence and that evidence meets that criteria, we’re happy to prosecute.”

Sheriff Mike Tregre said detectives are working to build another case, adding he remains surprised by the D.A.’s decisions. Tregre stressed the arrests followed warrants signed by a judge and indictments that came from grand jury rulings.

When asked if authorities identified the right suspects, Tregre said “absolutely.”

“We worked with ATF and tracked (the suspects’) cell phone locations that night, tracking all of their movement,” Tregre said. “We have all of that in the case file. I’m not going to eliminate (the possibility of more suspects) but they are the two primary targets. We feel and believe they are responsible for this crime for Cash 4 Less.”

The investigation

St. John Sheriff’s Office investigators said video surveillance revealed a perpetrator was dropped off in front of the victims’ residence Jan. 16, 2015, an hour before the victims arrived home.

The perpetrator presented a weapon and forced the victims to drive to their business at 1001 West Airline Highway, where he forced the victims to put cash in a plastic bag.

The next month detectives announced they were seeking the public’s assistance in finding the car used to drop off the perpetrator, believing it was a burgundy or dark-colored Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis.

Tregre said, at the time, deputies who responded to the LaPlace business learned the assailant fled on foot to the rear of the store toward the railroad tracks. Deputies searched the area to no avail. No one was injured during the robbery.

Johnson was arrested June 29, 2015, for principal to aggravated burglary, principal to aggravated kidnapping and principal to armed robbery.

Bolden was arrested July 29, 2015, for aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery.