Sheriff: Long investigation resulted in drug and racketeering arrests
The investigation that resulted in six arrests on drug and racketeering charges last week started in 2018 and resulted in the seizure of a variety of illegal drugs, including heroin and PCP, the St. Mary Sheriff's Office said.
"It was learned that the Weeden Drug Trafficking Organization, led by Lamar Jermaine Weeden of Parks, who was on Federal Parole, and Willie Alfred of Jeanerette, was once again actively distributing drugs in St. Mary Parish despite action by federal law enforcement," the Sheriff's Office said in a press release Wednesday.
Through the investigation, more than 30 subjects were identified as being a part of the organization, which extended beyond St. Mary Parish. The Louisiana State Police was contacted to assist due to the organizational operations outside the parish jurisdiction. Arrests were made by St. Mary deputies as well as the state police on most of those who were identified and warrants have been obtained for others.
On April 19, a multiagency operation was conducted in order to execute warrants and arrest the leaders of this organization.
Warrants for Lamar Weeden and Willie Alfred were executed simultaneously, and both men were taken into custody without incident.
Several other warrants were executed that day, with six subjects arrested on warrants for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected, the Sheriff's Office said.
The seizures included:
• 125 g. Heroin
• 233.8 g. Crack Cocaine
• 471 g. Powder Cocaine
• 1,167 dosage vials of Ecstasy
• 7 ½ dosage vials of Lorazepam
• 500 dosage units of Xanax
• 19 grams of Marijuana
• 2 vials of PCP
• $63,000 in cash
Sheriff Blaise Smith thanked his narcotics detectives for their tireless efforts and the Louisiana State Police for their assistance, as well as those agencies who assisted with serving the warrants on April 19:
• Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office
• Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office
• Homeland Security Investigations
• Customs & Border Protection
• Louisiana National Guard Counter Drug Program
• Berwick Police Department
• Morgan City Police Department
Arrested last week by St. Mary authorities were:
—Kurwin Nigel Webb Sr., 46, Patterson, was arrested at 11:23 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Webb also held three warrants for failure to appear on the charges of criminal neglect of family (two counts) and expired motor vehicle inspection.
Bail was set at $251,300.
—Leon Williams, 64, Patterson, was arrested at 12:35 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Leroy Hawkins Jr., 37, Jeanerette, was arrested at 10:46 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Morris L. Charles, 47, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:23 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Bail was set at $250,000.
—Willie Alfred, 41, Four Corners, was arrested at 7:42 a.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant for two counts of distribution of cocaine, distribution of Schedule II drugs, racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity.
Bail was set at $300,000.
A sixth arrest was made by Morgan City police:
—Kim James Butler Jr., 39, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Monday on 16th Judicial District Court warrants for racketeering activity and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity.