Teen Violates Probation 13 Times; His Officer Resigns

A probation officer who could have asked the court to lock up a 16-year-old now charged with killing a father to be has resigned, a Marion County judge said Friday.

Court documents show that Simeon Adams of Indianapolis was free to roam the streets for a month while awaiting a hearing on 13 probation violations. For nine of them, Adams was not home when the officer, Tracy McDonald, visited to check on his house arrest.

McDonald could have asked for an arrest warrant after the third violation, which occurred Feb. 15. That would have kept Adams in detention until his April 7 hearing date.

In late March and early April, Adams went on a gun-toting rampage that left Nathan Trapuzzano, 24, dead; a teenager injured; and Adams with a gunshot wound to the neck, police said. They also suspect Adams and another youth of stealing dozens of weapons March 22 from a Clermont, Ind., gun shop during the spree.

McDonald didn’t report any probation violations until March 5 after the ninth house-arrest violation, records show. Even then McDonald recommended that Adams remain on house arrest until his April 7 hearing.

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McDonald, who started in the probation department in 1994, could not be reached immediately for comment. {snip}

Adams had been placed on probation after stealing a car and fleeing police Dec. 13. During the chase, police said he threw aside a gun. They also said he was carrying marijuana.

Juvenile prosecutors eventually dropped the drug and gun charges but charged Adams with auto theft and resisting arrest. He was placed on home detention.

Between Feb. 11 and March 4, Adams had nine home-detention violations. He also was suspended from school and failed to participate in two court-ordered programs, which are additional probation violations.

Prosecutors have charged Adams with murdering Trapuzzano on April 1 while he was out on a regular morning walk and shooting Erick Douglas on March 30. {snip}