A year after warrant, Bayou L'Ourse man faces meth distribution charge

(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.)

“Operation Bayou Clean-Up” by the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of a Bayou L’Ourse man on meth distribution charges a year he was named in a warrant.

Morgan City officers charged a Murial Street man with domestic battery, aggravated assault and false imprisonment, and Franklin police made their second arrest in recent days on allegations of gang activity.

Assumption Sheriff Leland Falcon reported this arrest:

-- Lucien James Aucoin, Jr., 60, Felicia Street, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested Wednesday on charges of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine.

The charges arose from a drug investigation named “Operation Bayou Clean-Up," a parishwide investigation that identified suspects involved in the illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs.

Aucoin was identified as distributing illegal narcotics in April 2021. Narcotics agents requested and were granted an arrest warrant charging Aucoin on counts of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine.

Aucoin evaded arrest until Wednesday, at which time a search warrant was conducted at 112 Legnon Court, and Aucoin taken into custody. During the execution of the search warrant, methamphetamine was located and attributed to Aucoin.

Aucoin was transported to the Assumption Parish Detention Center and booked. He remains incarcerated pending a bond proceeding.

Morgan City

Police Chief James F. Blair reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 53 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

---Kelton Javon Smith, 25, Murial Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:05 a.m. Wednesday on charges of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse aggravated assault, aggravated battery and false imprisonment with a dangerous weapon.

--Archie Vining Jr., 73, Fig Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:04 p.m. Wednesday a 16th Judicial District Court warrant alleging two counts of failure to appear for revocation.

St. Mary

Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 32 complaints and made these arrests:

--Tamia Henderson, 19, Thibodaux, was arrested at 6:05 p.m. Wednesday by the Narcotics Section on charges of improper lane usage and possession of marijuana. Henderson was released on a summons to appear July 19.

Franklin

Police Chief Morris Beverly reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to five complaints over the last 24 hours and made this arrest:

--Levar Variet, Jr. 20, Pine Street, Franklin, was arrested at 10:07 a.m. Wednesday on a warrant dated March 31 and alleging illegal carrying of weapon, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities, and criminal street gangs and patterns of criminal street gang activity. Variet was booked, processed and held with no bond set at time of press release.