Heroin, meth, cocaine charges among Tuesday arrests

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

Local authorities reported three arrests on drug-related charges, including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine possession.

Berwick

Chief David S. Leonard reported these arrests:

--Jonathan Mayea, 37, Chestnut Drive, Morgan City was arrested at 10:37 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of controlled dangerous substance law (drug-free zone).

About 10:26 p.m. Tuesday, officers made contact with a vehicle at a closed business. Officers made contact with the driver, Mayea, and during the course of the stop, he admitted to having methamphetamine inside his vehicle.

Methamphetamine was located inside the vehicle along with heroin and items of drug paraphernalia. Mayea was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police
Department, where he was booked.

--Jim Businelle, 63, Carol Road, Morgan City, was arrested at 03:15 a.m. Wednesday on charges of red light violation, proper equipment required for bicycles and resisting an officer.

About 2:57 a.m. Wednesday, officers in the area of La. 182 observed a male subject on a bicycle traveling on the roadway and disregard a traffic light, nearly causing a traffic accident. Officers also observed the cyclist to not have any lights on his bicycle.

Officers attempted to stop the subject regarding the violations, but he refused. The subject was identified as Businelle, and officers were able to make contact with him and he was placed under arrest.

Businelle was transported to the Berwick Police Department where he was booked.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 57 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made this arrest:

--Gerald McCracken, 44, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested 7:08 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of cocaine, resisting an officer by false information and operating motorized bicycles.

St. Mary

Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 31 complaints and made these arrests:

--Brandi Snyder, 36, Anacoco, was arrested at 10:58 p.m. Tuesday by the Narcotics Section on charges of improper lane use, driving under suspension, possession of marijuana, possession of a legend drug and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor, and on an Adams County, Mississippi, warrant.

--Exzaria M. Stewart, 24, Houma, was arrested at 9:04 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on the charges of possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Ben Anthony Joseph, 40, Thibodaux, was arrested at 2:52 p.m. Tuesday on two warrants alleging failure to appear. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Hope Michelle Chettiyar, 44, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:42 p.m. Tuesday on four warrants alleging failure to appear. Bail has not been set at this time.
Bail has not been set at this time.

Franklin

Chief Tina Thibodeaux reported these arrests:

--Ivory Fine, 34, Ninth Street, Franklin, while incarcerated at the Franklin Police Department, was arrested at 1:01 p.m. Monday on a warrant for 16th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on charges of possession of Schedule II drugs and possession of marijuana. Fine was booked, processed and held on a $10,000 bond.

Fine had been arrested March 31 on the charges of possession of marijuana, tail lamps and driving under suspension, and on a warrant dated Jan. 6 alleging theft. Fine was additionally arrested on a 3rd Ward City Court warrant for failure to appear on the charges of hit and run, careless operation, failure to report an accident, no insurance and driving under suspension.

--Joseph Thomas, 60, Myra Street, Franklin, was arrested at 12:08 a.m. Tuesday on charges of remaining where forbidden, disturbing the peace and simple criminal damage to property. Thomas was booked, processed and held on a $2,500 bond.

--Mar'Keisha Hamilton, 28, Oneal Chube Street, Franklin, was arrested at 4:23 p.m. March 31 on a 3rd Ward City Court warrant alleging failure to appear on the charges of speeding, no driver's license and no insurance, and on warrants for the Fort Bend Sheriff's Office on the charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. Hamilton was additionally charged with simple escape.

Hamilton was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

--Sabrina Darby, 26, Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested at 5:43 p.m. Saturday on a warrant dated Jan. 7 alleging battery of a dating partner. Darby was booked, processed and held with no bond set at time of press release.

--Donald Dupree, 24, Sere Street, New Iberia, was arrested at 1:52 p.m. Sunday on charges of cyberstalking and two counts of violation of a protective order. Dupree was booked, processed and held with no bond set at time of press release.

Assumption

Sheriff Leland Falcon eported this arrest:

--Aaron Aucoin, 27, La. 182 East, Morgan City, was transferred Monday to Assumption Parish and held on charges of probation violation and failure to appear on charges of prohibited acts (Schedule II controlled dangerous substances, producing, manufacturing, distributing dispensing or possessing a Schedule I drug, MDMA and Suboxone).

Aucoin was arrested on multiple felony drug charges on July 20, 2020, and was served notice to appear in court on July 5, 2022, and failed to do so. A warrant was issued for his arrest on July 14, 2022.

Additionally, a warrant for a probation violation was issued for the arrest of Aucoin in connection with a felony drug conviction in Assumption Parish. As a result of that conviction, Aucoin was placed on supervised probation and ordered to abide by specific conditions.

Aucoin’s probation was assigned to the St. Mary Parish Division of Probation and Parole as that was the parish he was residing in.

Aucoin violated the terms of his probation, resulting in ta warrant being issued on May 30, 2022.

Aucoin was arrested in St. Mary Parish on Feb. 28, 2023, on local charges in that jurisdiction.

Aucoin was transferred to Assumption Parish on Monday and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center. He was served notice with a new court date and released.