Yasar Bashir, Commander Major Assaults & Family Violence Division
I would like to start by giving special thanks to Julia and Nabil and all the wonderful readers of Lebanon Time Magazine. I would also like to thank the Arabic Community for the continued support of the Houston Police Department.
In this article, I will briefly discuss how the community and police came together to resolve a violent crime in our community. “Sir Robert Peele, the father of modern policing, once said, ‘The police are the public and the public are the police.’ This principle is just as true today as it was nearly 200 years ago.” This principle highlights the importance of community and the police working together to reduce crime in our neighborhoods.
Last month, I was very saddened to hear that Mr. Nazif Farsak, who is loved by many, was shot several times during a violent carjacking. Late in the evening on a Sunday, when Mr. Farsak was sitting in his vehicle in the 2700 block of Fondren, the suspect shot Mr. Farsak several times and then fled in Mr. Farsak’s vehicle. I was very troubled to hear about this crime and we all prayed for his healthy recovery upon hearing the news. Solving this violent crime was very important to me and the community as well to get these violent criminals off the street.
Due to the seriousness of the crime, Houston Police Robbery detectives responded to the scene and were able to recover valuable evidence. Although robbery detectives initially had few leads, their determination led them to the location of Mr. Farsak’s stolen vehicle.
After weeks of diligent and painstaking work by multiple detectives with various special skills, they were able to first identify one of the two suspects, Lemay Javier Palomo-Pacheco and Jansel Arce. After arresting the suspects, detectives were able to interview both men, who quickly confessed to their crimes. Both now stand charged with Aggravated Robbery with a Deadly Weapon in the 209th District Court in Harris County.
Arce is a convicted felon who was out on bond for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Failure to Identify, at the time of the robbery. Palomo-Pacheco is also a convicted felon. Both men are habitual offenders who qualify for a minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life in prison. All of us should be very happy that these violent criminals are off our streets, and hopefully will never target another victim.
The Houston Police Department is grateful for the assistance and cooperation of all those who cooperated in this investigation which led to the swift arrest of two very dangerous criminals. Police detectives emphasize that it is the help of ordinary citizens and residents like you that allows police to bring serious criminals to justice.
As a reminder, members of the public who witness a crime in progress are urged to call 911. For routine matters, residents of Houston may call
(713) 884-3131 to request a police officer in order to report a crime or suspicious activity. I highly encourage that those with information about a crime who wish to remain anonymous to please contact Houston Crime Stoppers at(713) 222-TIPS
(713-222-8477) or visit crime-stoppers.org. At times, these tips greatly assist us in catching the perpetrators.
Thank you and be safe!