Police: Woman caught with drugs after complaint

A 52-year-old Morgan City woman was caught with marijuana believed to be destined for illegal sales after Morgan City police responded to narcotics complaint, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

—Tina Collier, 52, of South Railroad Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:59 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer by giving false information and on a warrant charging her with failure to comply with the terms of drug court.

Narcotics division police responded to a home in the area of South Railroad Avenue in regard to a narcotics complaint. Investigators arrived, and Collier was eventually identified. Collier provided investigators with a false name upon initial contact, Blair said.

Collier was found to be in possession of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Blair said. Police found evidence that the suspected marijuana was destined to be sold in illicit sales, Blair said. Collier also had an arrest warrant through 16th Judicial District Court. Collier was jailed.

Blair reported the following arrests:

—Curtis Ray, 28, of Duke Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 5:34 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and obstruction of justice.

Narcotics division investigators responded to a home in the area of Duke Street in regard to a narcotics complaint. Investigators arrived, and Ray was identified.

Ray was observed with suspected marijuana. When Ray noticed the police, he began to ingest the suspected marijuana, Blair said. Ray was in possession of more suspected marijuana. Police found evidence that some of the suspected marijuana Ray possessed was intended to be sold in illicit sales, Blair said. Ray was jailed.

—Christopher H. Carbins, 51, of Joseph Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:34 a.m. Monday on a charge of illegal possession of a stolen firearm.

Patrol officers responded to the area of La. 182 in regard to a stranded motorist. Officers arrived, and Carbins was identified as an occupant of the vehicle. The officer observed a firearm, Blair said.

The firearm was secured due to the occupants going in and out of the vehicle. The firearm was found and confirmed to be stolen and had been reported through the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, Blair said. Carbins was jailed.

—Aketa R. Francis, 25, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:54 a.m. Monday on a warrant for three counts of failure to appear for arraignment Jan. 23, 2017.

Francis was located and arrested in the area of Marguerite Street on active arrest warrants held by the 6th Ward Morgan City Court. Francis was transported to the Morgan City Jail where she was booked and incarcerated.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported his office made the following arrests in the parish’s east end:

—Danny Savoie, 40, of Prairie Road Circle in Centerville, was arrested at 5:48 p.m. Saturday on a charge of simple battery.

—Daniel Collette, 17, of Prairie Road Circle in Centerville, was arrested at 5:45 p.m. Saturday on a charge of simple assault.

A deputy responded to a call for service regarding a fight in progress on Prairie Road Circle. The deputy spoke with several subjects at the location and found evidence that Savoie and Collette were involved in an argument. The deputy found that Collette threw a knife at Savoie and that Savoie shot Collette in the boot with a BB gun during the altercation, Anslum said.

Neither sustained injuries from the fight. Both were released on summonses to appear in court May 2.

—Cesal Wiltz Jr., 36, of Neuville Anthony Street in St. Martinville, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Saturday for operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. A deputy responded to a call for service about a reckless driver on U.S. 90 in Bayou Vista. The deputy located the suspect vehicle in Patterson and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy identified the driver as Wiltz and found that he was driving with a suspended license, Anslum said.

Wiltz was released on a summons to appear in court May 2.

—Billy Farnham, 33, of Rose Lane in Berwick, was arrested at 11:54 a.m. Sunday on a warrant for failure to appear and on charges of possession of a clonazepam, possession of tramadol with intent to distribute, possession of alprazolam and possession of methamphetamine.

—Hanna Barker, 34, of Rose Lane in Berwick, was arrested at 11:54 a.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of marijuana.

A deputy responded to a call for service regarding a male and female subject involved in illegal drug activity on La. 182 in Bayou Vista.

The deputy located two subjects fitting the description on Canal Road and stopped to speak with them.

The man quickly ran to the rear of the police unit. The deputy identified the male subject as Farnham and the female subject as Barker.

While speaking with them, the deputy learned that Barker had marijuana in her purse and recovered a bag of the substance, Anslum said.

The deputy also located a paper towel containing pills where Farnham had been standing behind the police unit. Farnham was also wanted on the active warrant.

Farnham was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set. Barker was released on a summons to appear in court May 2.

—Jonathan Scott, 47, of Diane Lane in Patterson, was arrested at 1:38 p.m. Sunday on charges of domestic abuse battery-strangulation and criminal damage to property.

A deputy responded to a report of a battery in progress on Diane Lane in Patterson. Through the course of the investigation, the deputy found evidence that Scott grabbed a female victim around the neck, Anslum said.

The deputy also found that Scott took the victim’s phone and smashed it.

Scott was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.

—Cotina Batiste, 35, of Patterson, was arrested at 6:57 p.m. Sunday on charges of possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance, three counts of child desertion, obstruction of justice, three counts of illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a person under 17 and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.

—Marcus White, 25, of Vaughn Lane in Patterson, was arrested at 7 p.m. Sunday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of license plate not on display, improper turn and failure to give required signal, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, and failure to honor written promise to appear.

A deputy responded to call for service regarding the welfare of several juveniles left inside a vehicle in the Bayou Vista Walmart parking lot.

The deputy located three juveniles in the car and smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, Anslum said. The deputy spoke with White and located the active warrant for his arrest.

While attempting to locate the children’s guardian, Batiste, the deputy learned that she was hiding in another vehicle in the parking lot in an attempt to avoid deputies, Anslum said.

Through the course of the investigation, the deputy also found evidence that Batiste attempted to get one of the juveniles to discard marijuana from the vehicle. The deputy recovered a bottle containing marijuana inside the car, Anslum said.

Batiste was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.

—Margarito Rodriguez, 42, of Lake Palourde Road in Amelia, was arrested at 6:20 p.m. Sunday on warrants for failure to appear on charges of operating a vehicle without lawful presence in the United States and general speed law violation.

A deputy stopped to assist a motorist stopped on the side of the roadway on U.S. 90 Frontage Road in the Jeanerette area. The deputy identified one of the occupants of the vehicle as Rodriguez and located an active warrant for his arrest. Rodriguez was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.

—Sydney Bassa, 22, of Roderick Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 12:22 p.m. Thursday on charges of improper lane usage and possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance (synthetic cannabinoids).

Narcotics detectives patrolling Berwick observed a vehicle cross into a turning lane then back into the lane of travel. Detectives conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Bassa.

Detectives smelled the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Detectives located a synthetic cannabinoids cigar in a cigarette pack inside the car, Anslum said.

Bassa was released on a summons to appear in court May 2.

—Devon Marsh, 25, of Siracusaville, was arrested at 12:25 p.m. Friday on a charge of resisting an officer and on a warrant charging him with aggravated battery.

The warrant was issued following an investigation earlier this month into a complaint of a battery in Siracusaville. The deputy found evidence that Marsh used a piece of rope to choke a male victim, Anslum said.

A narcotics detective went to Marsh’s address to locate him on the warrant. The detective observed Marsh on the front porch and ordered him multiple times to walk towards him. Marsh fled into the home, out the back door, and over a fence, the sheriff said.

A patrol deputy waiting nearby located Marsh hiding behind a mobile home. Marsh was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Marsh was released on $6,500 bail.

—Ashton Martinez, 18, of Aristile Road in Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested at 5:24 p.m. on a City Court of Morgan City warrant for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana.

A narcotics detective monitoring traffic on U.S. 90 in Morgan City observed a vehicle speeding and conducted a traffic stop. The detective identified the driver as Martinez and located the active warrant for his arrest. Martinez was cited for speeding. Martinez was then transported to Morgan City Police Department jail for booking.

—Kevin Pierre, 21, of Hickory Street in Patterson, was arrested at 10:13 p.m. Friday on a City of Patterson mayor’s court warrant for failure to appear on the charge of speeding.

A narcotics detective came into contact with Pierre on Southeast Boulevard in Bayou Vista and located the active warrant for his arrest. The detective transported Pierre to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.

—Tanner Theriot, 18, of Stephensville Road in Stephensville, was arrested at 11:22 p.m. Friday for possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A narcotics detective conducting a security check at a business in Bayou Vista observed a vehicle with a broken brake light.

The deputy identified the driver as Theriot. While speaking with Theriot, the deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located a bag of marijuana and a cigar pack inside the car, Anslum said.

Theriot was released on a summons to appear in court May 2.

—Stephanie Yaris, 34, of Railroad Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 12:22 a.m. Saturday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Narcotics detectives conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle identified Yaris as a passenger in the truck. While speaking with Yaris, a detective learned that she was in possession of a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine.

The detective recovered the item. Yaris was released on a summons to appear in court May 2.

—Joseph Dugas, 34, of Neptune Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 10:34 a.m. Monday on a charge of unauthorized use of a moveable. A deputy investigated a call for service regarding a vehicle that went missing from a location on Neptune Street in Bayou Vista.

The deputy found evidence that Dugas attempted to sell the vehicle, which did not belong to him, and that Dugas had the vehicle removed, Blair said. Dugas was booked into parish jail and then released on $3,500 bail. The case remains under investigation.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrests:

—Joshua Waters, 31, of Berwick, was arrested at 10 p.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Bail was set at $100.

—Nathan Williams Jr., 36, of Como Street in Patterson, was arrested at 8:36 p.m. Saturday on charges of operating a vehicle intoxicated, open container and improper lane usage. Williams posted $3,000 bail.

—Katherine Stoute, 25, of Mallard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:17 a.m. Sunday on a Morgan City Court warrant. Stoute was transferred to the Morgan City Police Department.

—Robin Contreras, 55, of Fourth Street in Berwick, was arrested at 4:11 a.m. Monday on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and red light violation. Contreras posted $3,000 bail.

—Hanna Barker, 34, of Rose Street in Berwick, was arrested at 4:13 p.m. Monday on warrants charging her with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $3,500.

—Ronald Billiot Jr., 35, of River Road in Berwick, was arrested at 7:48 p.m. Monday on charges of criminal trespass and simple battery. Billiot posted $602 bail.

Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrest:

—Lushawda Zachary, 34, of Wedell Street in Patterson, was arrested at 1:44 p.m. Monday on a charge of suspended driver’s license. Zachary posted $619 bail.