By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies successfully apprehended three suspects in an armed robbery that occurred Sunday morning in LaPlace.
Deputies responded to the 2300 block of Herbert Drive for the reported armed robbery. The victim, a 69-year-old female, told investigators that she sells sweets and snacks from her home. She had answered a knock at the door and allowed two black male subjects, siblings David and Anthony Sheppard, to enter her residence on the premise of purchasing snacks.
The two subjects suddenly pulled out guns and pointed them at her and her 15-year-old grandson. They then stole her cash box and fled into the field behind her home. No one was injured during the incident.
Both men were apprehended shortly after the incident was reported. Deputies recovered two handguns and the stolen cash box, which were discarded by
the suspects during their flight from the officers.
The suspects were arrested and booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility. David Sheppard, 19, of East 13th Street in Reserve, was booked with armed robbery and armed robbery with a firearm. His bond is $500,000. Anthony Sheppard, 20, also of East 13th Street in Reserve, was booked with armed robbery, armed robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His bond is $525,000.
Investigators also received information that a female from the neighborhood may have had prior knowledge of the robbery. Twenty-year-old Brittany Schmidt of Hebert Drive was booked with obstruction of justice. Her bond is $10,000.
Sheriff Mike Tregre noted the high bond amounts with satisfaction.
“That’s a conviction in my book, and that’s the criminal justice system working with us. The judges set a bond, and that’s the message I want sent to the criminal element in St. John parish — that the criminal justice system is working, and will work to put you away. I firmly believe that if I can get the community to continue working with me, we can turn this problem around,” he said.