by Guy Page

Decker Towers, a public housing project on St. Paul Street in Burlington, has become a constant source of complaints to police about trespassers and drug trafficking.

A recent incident occurred Saturday, February 17, at about 1:30 pm, when residents of the 230 Saint Paul Street housing project flagged down an officer from the Burlington Police Department because of several people trespassing in the stairwells. 

One suspect was identified as Tyrone Pinder, 32, of Burlington, who is well known to law enforcement as a suspected serial trespasser and car thief. The officer learned Pinder was wanted by the South Burlington Police pertaining to an Aggravated Operating without Owner’s Consent incident from earlier in the day. 

When the officer approached Pinder, he ran. 

Police say that during his flight, Pinder discarded several items, but also withdrew and held onto a multi-tool with a knife. The knife was out (i.e., exposed) when it was recovered from him. Pinder was apprehended in the stairwell by the officer and two other police officers who had responded as well. Pinder resisted officers for three minutes of  struggle before he was pepper sprayed and taken into custody. 

The Burlington Fire Department transported Pinder to the hospital where he was  decontaminated from the spray, evaluated, and then returned to BPD headquarters at One North  Avenue. The SBPD charged Pinder with Aggravated operating without owner’s consent and Violations of Conditions of Release and the BPD charged him with Impeding and Violations of  Conditions of Release. Pinder was lodged on $1,000 bail for the South Burlington charges  and was given conditions for the Burlington charges. 

Pinder has court-ordered conditions of release from May 26, 2022 including “You must NOT buy, have or use any firearms or dangerous/deadly weapons.” These conditions are to  include knives. Also, Pinder has court-ordered conditions of release from January 11, 2024 including “You must not go within 100 feet of Decker Towers (230 Saint Paul Street, Burlington VT).” 

Pinder’s criminal history includes three failures to appear, two Violation of Court Orders or  Conditions charges, three felony charges, three felony convictions, nine misdemeanor charges,  one misdemeanor conviction, and one assaultive crime charge. 

Pinder has been on probation since October 2023 from a burglary incident that occurred in  2022. Since October 2023, while on probation, Pinder has been arrested for: 11/2/2023 – Trespass. 11/25/2023 – Burglary. 12/24/2023 – Possession of stolen property. 1/18/2024 – Aggravated operation without owner’s consent, Grand larceny, Violation of  conditions of release (possession of weapons). 

Pinder is a person of interest in seven Stolen Vehicle/Recovered Property investigations  since October 6, 2023. After Saturday’s arrest, Pinder was held and is currently lodged at the Northwest State Correctional Facility. Anyone with information about these incidents or other incidents in which Pinder is  involved is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (802) 658-2704.

Car theft arrestee found sleeping in laundry room – Another Decker Towers police encounter occurred at about 11 AM Tuesday, February 20 when a Burlington Police Department  officer conducting a vertical patrol at 230 Saint Paul there encountered a female sleeping in the laundry room on the second floor. The officer recognized  her from dozens of police encounters as Katelynn Charbonneau, 28. The BPD’s dispatchers  confirmed that Charbonneau had an open warrant for her arrest. The officer arrested Ms.  Charbonneau and she was transported to court. 

Charbonneau has nearly 150 law-enforcement encounters dating back to 2011. Since  December 2023 alone, she has had 45 law-enforcement encounters and 13 arrests. Most of these recent law-enforcement encounters are associated with complaints about vehicle theft. 

Parking garage theft suspect found at Decker Towers – On January 26, police arrested Silas Benoit, 20, of Burlington in Decker Towers on an outstanding arrest warrant on a charge of stealing rifled from a locked car in a Cherry Street garage. He was arrested and eventually released on conditions he stay away from city parking garages.

Burlington Police Department press reports are incorporated extensively into this news article.