Numerous reports of a suspicious vehicle in the area of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School and Temple Emanuel led to the arrest of a New York man, according to a Beaumont Police Department (BPD) statement.
BPD reports several witnesses called the police complaining of a male in a black Toyota RAV4 SUV with New York State license plates, who would park across the street from the school and stay for hours, sometimes days, at a time.
BPD noted that, when approached, the driver was not cooperative with requests to move to a different location and at times was confrontational.
School officials contacted Police Chief Jimmy Singletary and expressed safety concerns for the students and the staff. Under Singletary’s direction, BPD officers conducted directed patrol in the area.
At 9 a.m. Jan. 29, Ahmed Abdalla Allam, 26, was stopped for a traffic violation while driving a black Toyota SUV in the 700 block of Archie Street by the school. During Allam’s arrest, a search of his vehicle revealed suspected synthetic marijuana, an AR-15 style assault rifle and ammunition.
Allam was transported to Jefferson County Correctional Facility and booked in for possession of a controlled substance and driving with a fictitious plate. Additional federal charges are pending, BPD asserted.
BPD stated that Allam “poses no threat to our community at this time.”