Friends stunned by arrest

Police have connected suspect Carl St. Jacques to six minor thefts at the School of Music, including two newly-discovered incidents, IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said earlier this week.\nThose who knew St. Jacques offered gasps, long pauses, stutters and sentiments of shock after finding out he was arrested and charged with counts of larceny for thefts from the School of Music March 25. \nKenneth Jarvis, who has known St. Jacques for five years, said he was stunned and surprised to learn of St. Jacques' arrest. Jarvis played with St. Jacques at The Young Eight, an ensemble and music group that tries to reach the community by using classical music.\n"This came as a huge shock to me," Jarvis said. "I know him on both a professional and personal level, and he's always been very relaxed, very laid back, very professional and has lots of good ideas with music."\nGraduate student Arthur Sato has also known St. Jacques for five years and said he was equally upset by the news.\n"Personality wise, he's a very laid back, cool guy -- not aggressive at all," Sato said. "He's also a very loyal guy, never mean, and he would do whatever he could for his friends. I'm just extremely disappointed and in shock."\nSt. Jacques' friends said they would have never expected him to steal.\n"I did not picture this as Carl's personality," said Jarvis. "Like me, he enjoyed working hard but also having a good time. So after we would finish our rehearsals, if we had an opportunity to go out dancing, to go have a drink or listen to jazz music, we took it."\nJarvis said he always found St. Jacques to be a wonderful person.\n"It was just enjoyable being around him because of his joy for life, and I always enjoyed his company," he said. "I really don't understand why he would do something like that, especially with all of the opportunities and privileges he's been given. I just don't understand why, and it's still a huge shock to me."\nSteve Russell, an associate professor of criminal justice who served as a trial judge for 17 years in Texas, said it is not completely uncommon for a well-off individual to engage in such activity. \n"I know that many of them didn't do it to destroy their lives," Russell said. "When I was a judge, I heard a case of a law student in Texas who was arrested for shoplifting. This was a very bright person with a very good future in front of her. You can't take the BAR exam if you are convicted of theft, and she knew that. Sometimes there is just some other issue you don't know about."\n-- Contact staff writer Mallory Simon at