St. Tammany checkpoints result in 4 DWI arrests

BUSH — There was one arrest for DWI and another for possession of a schedule II narcotic during a sobriety checkpoint operation between 12:15 and 2:34 a.m. Sunday morning at the intersection of Louisiana 21 and Louisiana 40 at the Fifth Ward School.

Officers of the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troop L and St. Tammanay Parish Sheriff's Office operated the checkpoint, as well as another on Highway 41, just north of the intersection with Highway 36 near Pearl River.

In the Bush operation, officers screened 101 vehicles and performed three field sobriety checks.

Near Pearl River, officers screened 147 vehicles, performed five field sobriety tests and arrested three for DWI. Additionally, one driver was charged with possession of marijuana.

The Pearl River operation lasted from 8:15 until 11:55 p.m..

On Friday, troopers working with the Bogalusa Police Department screened 270 vehicles, charged three drivers with DWI and issued a summons to a fourth for what was described as a small amount of marijuana. 

Sobriety checkpoints under way in Washington Parish

Since 9 p.m. tonight, members of the Louisiana State Police, with assistance from the Bogalusa Police, Franklinton Police and Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, have been conducting sobriety checkpoints.

Trooper Nick Manale of Troop L said, "Every year on the highways across the state of Louisiana, numerous people are killed or injured by impaired drivers. Sobriety checkpoints are an effective enforcement tool serving as a deterrent to impaired and drunken driving."


On Tuesday, 25-year-old Mitchell Wayne Polkey of Bogalusa was indicted for vehicular homicide in connection with the May 5 death of 84-year-old Carl Edward Harrell. According to reports from the Mandeville Police Department, Polkey was driving on the U.S. 190 Service Road near Banner Ford when he lost control. The vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree.


At the time, Polkey was arrested on multiple charges — including a second-offense DWI.


"The task of stopping these impaired drivers is a joint effort of law enforcement agencies and the public," Manale added. "By never allowing an impaired driver to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and reporting dangerous drivers to law enforcement, the public can play an important role in the reduction of crashes caused by impaired drivers."


If you see someone you suspect is driving impaired, call the Louisiana State Police by dialing *577 on your cell phone.

Drug roundup: 13 of 17 now behind bars

Thirteen of seventeen individuals sought on warrants in connection with a roundup of local and area drug dealers are now in Washington Parish Jail in Franklinton.

"Everything went really smooth," explained Bogalusa Police Chief Joe Culpepper. "The planning, preparation and execution took a lot of work, but after that it all went very well."

The arrests brought to a close a multi-agency task force investigation. The task force was made up of agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, LSP Criminal Investigations Division Hammond Field Office and the Bogalusa Police Department.

The investigation began in June of 2010, when detectives identified a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) lead by Derek Moss, (B/M age 44) of Marrero, suspected of trafficking cocaine throughout the Bogalusa area.

Moss, a native of Washington Parish, established Bogalusa as the DTO’s base of operation utilizing residents to distribute narcotics throughout the community.

On Feb. 19, 2011, Moss and several high ranking members of the DTO were arrested without incident resulting in the disruption of the criminal enterprise. The subsequent investigation led to the identification of the 17 individuals sought on Tuesday.

Those arrested and their charges include:

• Sebastian Levi (B/M age 45) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• John Roberts (B/M age 41) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Darin Fields (B/M age 29) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Myrtis Dixon (B/M age 47) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Luther Whitten Sr. (B/M age 53) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Diana Ramsher (W/F age 42) – Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Oxycontin), Possession of a weapon in the presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and Possession of a CDS in a Drug Free Zone.

• Russell Ramsher (W/M age 40)  - Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Oxycontin), Possession of a weapon in the presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, and Possession of a CDS in a Drug Free Zone.

• Gregory Bickham (B/M age 41) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Larry O’Neal Cotton (B/M age 37) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Roderick McCray (B/M age 27) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Jada Owens (B/F age 46) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Roy Short (B/M age 36) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine) and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

• Johnny Robertson (B/M age 51) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine) and Possession of Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

Detectives are continuing their investigation and actively seeking the following suspects:

• Tina Jefferson (B/F age 26) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Randall Lavinghouse (W/M age 38) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Willie Holloway (B/M age 31) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

• Jason Cooley Jr. (B/M age 30) - Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)

Culpepper told wpnewsblog that Jefferson, Lavinghouse and Holloway had contacted police and there was a possibility they would surrender to police.

Mug shots will be available Wednesday.

Operation Safe-T-Net part of ongoing effort to dismantle Derek Moss' Bogalusa drug empire

Russel and Diana Ramsher

The knocks on the doors came early this morning, and when someone came to the door, they were greeted by armed police officers with their weapons drawn.

Operation Safe-T-Net was under way.

After gathering at the National Guard Readiness Center on Highway 10 West at 4:30, officers were first briefed, then divided into four teams as they prepared to execute a total of 17 arrest warrants.

Darin Fields

Officers hit the street at 5:12 a.m. and the first suspects were brought in through the back door of the  some 45 minutes later when Russel and Diana Ramsher were brought in ... his hands bound behind him and hers in front. As they reached the first stop in the booking process, she started crying and complaining that officers had not allowed her to "take my medicine."

Luther Whitten, Sr.

"What medicine do you take?" she was asked. She responded, but was then directed to sit at the table where the booking process began.

Tuesday's operation is the culmination of a year-long investigation that began in June 2010 when the Bogalusa Police Narcotics Unit, Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division Region 1 Troopers and agents of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a joint cocaine investigation in the Bogalusa area.

Roy Lee Short

During the investigation, a drug trafficking organization lead by Derek R. Moss, 43, of Marrero. Moss, a native of Bogalusa, used his hometown as a base for his criminal activity.


A subsequent investigation into Moss' operation resulted in the utilization of various investigative techniques and led to the arrest of Moss and four high-ranking members of his organization.

Myrtis Dixon a/k/a
Myrtis Bickham

Tuesday's raids were a result of a year's worth of wiretaps and other surveillance activities and all of the suspects have been identified as members of Moss' criminal organization.

"It's almost impossible to describe," said Bogalusa Chief of Police Joe Culpepper, "once you've gone on a wire, the hours and hours and hours you listen to as you develop evidence."

Bogalusa Policeman D Ray Phelps, who coordinated the Bogalusa potion of the effort, said today's arrest were not the last that will be executed.

Jada Owens

"There's more to come," Phelps told the assembled officers.

"We appreciate all of you being here this morning," Culpepper said. "This is the culmination of three or four years work and we thank you."

Once arrested the suspects were brought to the Readiness Center for processing and booking, then taken to the Bogalusa City Jail for transport to the Washington Parish Jail in Franklinton.

Holiday weekend relatively quiet

It was a relatively quiet holiday weekend, at least according to the booking log at the Bogalusa Police Department.

While there were the normal fireworks-related calls that accompany a holiday such as New Years or the Fourth of July, residents and visitors to Bogalusa were generally well-behaved over the long break.

There were a total of 16 bookings logged between July 1 and July 4:

July 1

• Tiffany Temple, Sunset Acres No. 73, Bogalusa. (Failure to appear, unauthorized use of an access card under $500, vehicle burglary). Awaiting transfer to WPSO.

• JaJoun Robinson, 900 Front St., Bogalusa. (Failure to return leased property) Transported to WPSO.

• Tiffany L. Smith Whitehead, 611 Caston, Bogalusa.  (two Failure to appear, fugitive from outside agency).

• Anthony LaChute, 637 Ave. G, Bogalusa. (Failure to appear, three counts running stop sign, three counts no turn signal, no vehicle license, expired inspection sticker, open container, failure to secure registration, no insurance, resisting an officer.)

July 2

• Colbi Massengale, 1021 Lona Rester, Bogalusa. (DWI-1^st, no turn signal, expired license plate)

• Courtney Hines, 57866 Knapp Thomas Road, Bogalusa. (Improper lane change, DWI-1^st. State police)

• Robert L. Bell, III, No. 33, Bogue Projects, Bogalusa. (Criminal damage to property, disturbing the peace-intoxication, resisting and office)

• Thomas L. Washington, 925 E. 4^th, Bogalusa. (Theft by shoplifting)

• Lawrence C. Morris, 1847 Dolly Ave., Bogalusa. (Improper lane usage, driving under suspicion)

July 3

• Jason Duhe, 123 Budget Inn, Bogalusa. (Simple battery)

• Harlon H. Irvine, 12303 Henkins Lane, Spotsylvania, Va. (Careless operation, expired license plate, driving under suspicion, DWI)

• Michael Weaver, 2946 Highway 40, Bush. (Obscenity)

• Richard Grimes, 1718 Ave. F, Bogalusa. (Aggravated battery, possession of drug paraphernalia)

July 4

• Leah Seals, 121 Ramsey Hall Road, Poplarville, Miss. (Possession of drug paraphernalia)

• Rance Smith, 1519 Marshall Richardson, Bogalusa. (Fugitive from outside agency). Awaiting transport to WPSO.

• Shadic Mark, 64070 Hollis Leslie Rd., Angie. (Two failute to appear)

Shooter in attempted murder arrested

Police place attempted murder
suspect Nakai "Head" Butler in
Sgt. Patrick Lyons' cruiser Thursday.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Members of the Bogalusa Police Department, and State Fugitive Task Force arrested 22-year-old Nakai R. Butler of Kentwood in connection with the attempted murder of a 17-year-old Bogalusa man on Thursday, June 2.

Police executed the warrant at 1303 Military Road, a house long-associated with drug traffic and activity.

In addition, two women and one man — identified as 27-year-old Jennifer Smith of Bogalusa, 43-year-old Mable Mingo of Angie and 45-year-old El Demetrist Jennings of Angie — taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact to attempted second degree murder (harboring Butler) after they admitted to officers they knew he was wanted.

Mable Mingo

The three were also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and officers at the scene said there was a large amount of drugs in the house.

Approximately two weeks ago, the primary resident of the house was arrested on drug-related charges and was still in jail at the time of Thursday's raid.

Mingo

Ryan Seal, who lives three houses down the street, said he knew of two deaths that had occurred in the house in the 12 years he has lived in the neighborhood.

El Demetrist Jennings

"The ironic thing," Seal said, "is that I was in Chief (Joe) Culpepper's office this morning, telling him we had to do something about this house and the drug traffic. Then, I come home for lunch and here they are ... I thought ‘Man, now that's getting with it!"

Jennings

Culpepper said the assistance of the Fugitive Task Force was requested because Butler, whose nickname is “Head,” has relatives in north Washington Parish area.

Jennifer Smith

Butler has been charged with attempted second-degree murder after shooting a 17-year-old during a fight in the Poplas Quarters area of Bogalusa on June 2. The 17-year-old remains in undisclosed condition at LSU-Bogalusa Medical Center.

Smith

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.com)

(This is a reader news tip story)