Local men sentenced in district court

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A convicted drug dealer was sentenced on additional charges in district court Monday.

Officials with the District Attorney’s office says Voltaire Sullivan was sentenced to five years at hard labor on the charge of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, credit for time served to run consecutive to any other charge. He was also sentenced to five years at hard labor on the charge of a convicted felon possession a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon, also for credit for time served.

Court documents show a bench trial has been set for April 25 on the habitual offender law District Attorney Schuyler Marvin seeks to impose against Sullivan. Status conference on the issue has been set for Feb. 8.

Sullivan was convicted on four counts of distribution in March 2015 and sentenced to 38 years in prison.

Sullivan was originally arrested Aug. 1, 2013 on three counts of distribution of crack cocaine, distribution of ecstasy, possession of Schedule II CDS crack cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a firearm while committing a drug felony and attempted escape.

Joseph Short

A Minden man who took part in the burglary of Griffith Stadium has been sentenced.

Joseph Michael Short was sentenced to eight years at hard labor with the Louisiana Department of Corrections in front of 26th Judicial District Judge Michael O. Craig Monday on two counts of simple burglary.

The sentence was suspended and Short was given three years of active supervised probation and was ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $6,500 over the first 24 months of his probation. He must also pay restitution to the Webster Parish School Board in the amount of $969 within 24 months as well.

He was ordered to pay felony court costs within the first six months of probation.

According to Minden police reports at the time of his arrest, Short turned himself in to police for the burglary of the concession stand at Griffith Stadium that was reported to police on July 1, 2015. He was questioned about the Griffith Stadium incident as well as two others.

Short was arrested on unrelated charges in June for felony criminal damage to property and criminal mischief.

Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper says he entered a residence on Pennsylvania Avenue causing about $3,000 worth of damage and also went onto the roof of a business on Pearl Street, jumping from roof to roof.

Also arrested in the case was Tylere Monday and Timothy Bavaro.