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Semaj Ordered To Remain In Detention

POSTED: 11:42 am PDT July 7, 2008
UPDATED: 6:34 pm PDT July 7, 2008

A boy who finagled his way onto flights to Texas last year and tried a similar stunt earlier this year was ordered by a judge to remain in secure detention after being arrested Saturday, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

Semaj Booker, 11, is accused of burglarizing a home, destroying property and making false statements to police.

VIDEO BACKSTORY: Behind Semaj's Latest Escapade
VIDEO: Woman Finds Infamous Boy In Apartment

Semaj has had legal problems and gained nationwide attention after hopping flights and making an appearance on the Dr. Phil show. He also pleaded guilty to car theft and running from police in 2007, and was in court last month for allegedly violating a court order in connection with those charges after he was caught trying to board a Southwest Airlines flight to Sacramento on May 27.

At a probable cause hearing on Monday, Judge pro-tem John Hill ordered that Semaj be held in secure detention at Remann Hall, the juvenile detention facility in Tacoma, at least until July 17 when there is a capacity hearing that will determine whether the boy is capable of understanding the charges against him.

A request for the Semaj to be on home monitoring was rejected by the judge.

Police responding to a burglary call in the 4700 block of South Pine at 4:05 a.m. Saturday said they found a boy at a dining room table in an apartment, according to court documents obtained by KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Kevin McCarty.

The boy identified himself as James Williams and told police that he was "just trying to get my Gameboy," according to the documents.

He later told police he was being chased by people with bottle rockets and went into the apartment to escape, police wrote.

When asked about his parents, he said, "My mom is shot and she is at St. John's Hospital in Tacoma," and that he was trying to see her when he "fell into the window." When asked why his mom would be near the apartment complex, he said, "My buddy lives up the hill, and he was chasing me with bottle rockets, and I was trying to get away when I fell into the window," according to the documents.

Police took him into custody and contacted the tenants of an apartment where he said he lived, but they said they didn't know him. He led them to other places where he said he lived and then said he lived in Lakewood but was unable to provide an address, according to the documents.

When he was taken to Remann Hall, staff recognized him as Semaj Booker, police said.

Semaj is charged with residential burglary, third-degree malicious mischief and making a false or misleading statement to a public servant.

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