DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Monday, November 21, 2022, the Monroe Police Department received a theft complaint in reference to several items stolen from a cleaning business on Megellan Drive in Monroe, La. While in the area, officers began to investigate the complaint and observed two people allegedly involved in the theft, Robert Kerst and April Blackwell.
According to officers, they were able to track the GPS location of the stolen items to Kerst’s apartment. Upon arrival, officers made contact with Kerst, he was allegedly hostile and resistant to the officers and was placed in handcuffs.
The officers obtained a search warrant for the location, and during the search, officers came in contact with Kerst’s girlfriend, Blackwell. Blackwell admitted to having loaded syringes containing liquid meth in the restroom. Officers then searched Blackwell and revealed a rolled marijuana cigarette in her front right pants pocket.
Officers also found several digital scales, syringes, loaded syringes containing liquid meth, and several stolen items from the business on Megellan Drive that valued up to $500 during the search warrant.
Officers began to question Kerst in regard to the investigation and he allegedly admitted to stealing the TVs that were valued up to $2,500. He also admitted to selling the TVs for $200 in Bawcomville, La. Officers searched Kerst and revealed a small Ziploc bag of meth in his front right pants packet.
According to officers, Kerst was an employee at Crystal Cleaning Company where he allegedly formulated a plan to steal several items from the business. Kerst and Blackwell were arrested during this investigation.
Kerst was charged with two counts of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Criminal Conspiracy, and Felony Theft. Blackwell was charged with two counts of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance.