Sheriff: Drugs found in Bayou Vista stop

A 29-year-old man was booked on drug and traffic charges after deputies stopped a vehicle on Southeast Boulevard in Bayou Vista, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith said in a news release.

—Matthew Ryan Oquain, 29, of Carol Road in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 7:41 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of operating a vehicle while license is suspended-revoked-canceled and speeding 22 mph in a 15 mph in a school zone and new charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, possession of Schedule II drugs, proper equipment required on vehicles, driving under suspension, no tail lights and possession of methamphetamine.

Deputies were traveling on Southeast Boulevard toward Middle Road in Bayou Vista when they observed a vehicle without a passenger side mirror and without an operating driver side tail light. The deputies conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Oquain.

During the stop, K-9 Vickie arrived on the scene and was deployed. After showing an odor response to the vehicle, deputies located drugs inside the vehicle, Smith said. Deputies were advised through dispatch that Oquain held active warrants for his arrest and that his driver’s license was suspended. Oquain was jailed with no bail set.

Smith reported that deputies responded to 30 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests relating to east St. Mary Parish:

—Janet Lavern Melancon, 60, of Wilson Lane in Patterson, was arrested at 7:28 a.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputies were dispatched to the area of Wilson Lane in Patterson in reference to a medical complaint. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with Melancon. After further investigation, drugs were located inside the vehicle, Smith said. Melancon was jailed with no bail set.

—Claude Moses Charlot III, 25, of Leonard Street in Patterson, was arrested at 11:56 a.m. Wednesday on charges of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling and criminal trespass.

Deputies were dispatched to Vista Village Lane in Bayou Vista in reference to an unauthorized entry complaint. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the complainant, who had observed a man at a home who was not a resident of the home, Smith said.

During the investigation, Charlot was identified as the suspect. Charlot was jailed with bail set at $1,000.

—Lloyd Michael Jones, 51, of Ciro Street in Siracusa, was arrested at 7:59 p.m. Wednesday on charges of driving on roadway laned for traffic and driving under suspension.

Deputies were traveling east on U.S. 90 near Centerville when they observed a vehicle cross the yellow line then proceed back into the left lane.

The deputies conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Jones. The deputies were advised through dispatch he was driving under suspension, Smith said. Jones was released on a summons to appear in court Sept. 26.

—Laqwajhia Melisa Bourgeois, 21, of Federal Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:01 a.m. Thursday on charges of driving on right side of road; exceptions, possession of a legend drug without a prescription, and possession of Schedule IV drugs.

—Casey Chantel Chenevert, 22, of La. 182 in Berwick, was arrested at 2:01 a.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of marijuana.

A deputy with the K9 division was patrolling the area of U.S. 90 east near Delmar Avenue in Bayou Vista when he observed a vehicle traveling in the left lane of travel. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and contact was made with the driver, identified as Bourgeois, and the passenger, identified as Chenevert.

During the stop, consent to search the vehicle was denied by Bourgeois and K-9 Vickie was deployed. After showing an odor response to the vehicle, the deputies located drugs inside the vehicle, Smith said.

Both were booked into parish jail. Chenevert was released on a summons to appear in court Sept. 26. No bail was set for Bourgeois.

Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported that officers responded to 33 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Ashton Ainsworth, of North Holly Road in Labadieville, was arrested at 4:47 p.m. Wednesday on a city court warrant charging him with failure to appear for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ainsworth turned himself in at the police department on the warrant. Ainsworth was jailed.

—John Clark, of Willard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:22 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of simple battery.

Officers responded to a call on Willard Street to remove a person. As the person was getting their items to leave the home, Clark kicked one of the items which struck the victim, Blair said. Clark was jailed.

Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrest:

—Tomas Guadalupe Bautista Perez, 33, of East Buchanan Avenue in Alton, Texas, was arrested at 11:49 a.m. Wednesday on charges of speeding 69 mph in a 55 mph zone and no driver’s license. Perez posted $550 cash bail.

Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported the following arrest:

—Lydia Cruz, 33, of Francis Street in Berwick, was arrested at 8:32 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of simple criminal damage to property and a 16th Judicial District Court warrant charging her with failure to appear for criminal neglect of family.

On Wednesday, officers responded to a complaint of a woman damaging a window on a vehicle on Francis Street. During the investigation, Cruz was identified as a suspect and subsequently arrested for damaging the window, Leonard said. Cruz remains in the Berwick jail with a $500 bail for the damage to property charge. However, a hold was placed on her due to the warrant for criminal neglect.

Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reported the following arrest relating to the area:

—Travis Skeen, 30, of Aristile Road in Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

Assumption Parish deputies assigned to the sheriff’s I.C.E. Unit observed a vehicle commit multiple traffic violations and executed a stop of the vehicle on Arisitle Road. Deputies identified the driver and, in that process, identified the passenger as Skeen.

During the interview process, officers noted Skeen and the driver acting nervous and disoriented. Deputies learned that suspected methamphetamine had been thrown out of the car window as deputies approached, Falcon said.

A search of the area yielded a quantity of methamphetamine which was assessed to Skeen after determining that he had thrown the drugs out of the vehicle, Falcon said. Skeen was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center awaiting bail to be set.