Traverse City Record-Eagle

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October 30, 2009

Police arrest parolee for break-ins

BY ART BUKOWSKI

TRAVERSE CITY -- Police arrested a man who allegedly broke into at least six Traverse City businesses while on parole with the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Brian Donovan Meade, 30, is expected to be charged with break-ins at Shumsky-West & Associates insurance, Slabtown Cafe & Burgers, Day Signs, Northland Computers, Jack's Auto Sales & Service and Copy Central.

The incidents occurred from April 27 through last week. Thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise were taken.

Police developed Meade as a suspect based on searches of multiple residences, including one where he recently stayed. He previously worked at Slabtown Cafe, but wasn't working there when that business was targeted on July 29 and wasn't immediately considered a suspect.

"He is not cooperating with police; he won't talk to us," said Traverse City Police Capt. Brian Heffner. "We are putting this together from people who were with him during the crimes, plus evidence we recovered at the scene," and residence searches, Heffner said.

Authorities recovered some stolen merchandise, including laptop computers, cash and digital cameras.

Meade was convicted in 2004 of burning down a residence on Cedar Street in Traverse City. He went to prison and was paroled to Grand Traverse County in January.

"It's unfortunate that on occasion, individuals sentenced to prison are (paroled), return to the community and decide to commit crimes as they did before they went to prison," Heffner said. "We don't have a high rate of recidivism, but a small percentage of the time, this does occur."

Local MDOC parole supervisor Charles Welch refused to say how often his department met with Meade, citing "confidentiality issues." Welch contends his department can only do so much to prevent parolees from committing crimes.

"It's worrisome, but there's no guarantee anybody is going to make a change once they get out ... we could supervise someone to a T, see them daily, and it might not affect them in any way," he said.

Parolees are supposed to maintain full-time employment or show a "good faith effort" at seeking such employment, Welch said. A parolee's level of supervision is determined by a risk assessment completed by parole officers.

Welch wouldn't give details of Meade's employment or risk assessment.

Police said it's possible Meade was involved in other break-ins. Anyone with information can call Silent Observer at 947-TIPS or police at 995-5152.

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