Police make drug arrest during festival

An undercover narcotics operation Friday at the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Friday led to the arrest of a man from Patterson, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Richard D. Cormier, 27, of Catherine Street in Patterson, was arrested at 7:26 p.m. Friday on the charges of distribution of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance law.
The Morgan City Police Department Narcotics Division along with the assistance of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted an undercover operation at the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival. Cormier is alleged to have participated in a transaction of the purchase of suspected marijuana to an undercover agent in the area of Greenwood Street, Blair said. Authorities also found items used to smoke illegal narcotics on Cormier, Blair said. Cormier was jailed.
Blair reported the following arrests:
—James Scofield, 34, of Patterson, at 1:09 p.m. Friday on warrants charging him with failure to pay a fine and probation violation.
Scofield was located at the Morgan City Police Department and placed under arrest for active warrants he held for the Sixth Ward City Court. Scofield was jailed.
—Benjamin T. Weaver, 39, of Second Street in Morgan City, at 6:28 p.m. Friday on the charge of appearing in public intoxicated.
Officers located Weaver walking in the area of La. 182. Weaver appeared intoxicated and unable to maintain his balance. Officers also smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath. Weaver was jailed.
—Drake J. Geisler, 21, of Andras Street in Morgan City, at 11:49 p.m. Friday on the charges of illegal carrying of a weapon, transactions involving proceeds from controlled dangerous substance activity, possession of Schedule II methadone, possession of Schedule II Lortab with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule II methamphetamine and resisting an officer.
Officers were dispatched to a local bar on La. 182 in regards to removing an individual that was banned. Officers made contact with Geisler. While officers were speaking to Geisler, he fled on foot, but was apprehended a short time later, Blair said.
Police located a pair of brass knuckles, methadone pills and Lortab on Geisler, Blair said. Geisler was also in possession of suspected methamphetamine and cash totaling $600, Blair said. Geisler was jailed.
—Jennifer Lazano, 37, of Brownsville, Texas, at 1:07 a.m. Saturday on the charge of domestic abuse battery.
Officers were dispatched to a home on La. 182 in Morgan City in regards to a domestic disturbance. Officers arrived and spoke with the victim, who stated that his girlfriend, Lazano, had committed a battery on him, Blair said.
Officers did observe marks on the victim’s facial area. Lazano was located in the home and jailed.
—Troy J. Charpentier, 34, of La. 70 in Pierre Part, at 12:32 p.m. Saturday on a Patterson Police warrant for failure to appear.
Officers were dispatched to a local business on La. 182 in regards to a vehicle crash in the parking lot. Officers made contact with Charpentier and discovered an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Charpentier was jailed.
—Jamie E. Gray, 43, of Egle Street in Morgan City, at 12:47 a.m. Saturday on the charge of appearing in public intoxicated.
Officers located Gray in the area of Brashear and Federal avenues lying on the ground. As officer approached, they could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on Gray’s breath. Gray was jailed.
—Jessica L. Daigle, 27, of Leona Street in Morgan City, at 4:04 p.m. Saturday on a warrant charging her with possession of marijuana and on a civil warrant for failure to appear.
Daigle was located in the area of Third and Everett streets. A local warrants check was done on Daigle and it was determined that she held active warrants for the Sixth Ward City Court and the Morgan City Police Department. Daigle was jailed.
—Desirae M. Eastling, 34, of La. 182 in Morgan City, at 4:27 p.m. Saturday on the charges of driving under suspension, no seat belt and failure to appear.
A patrol officer in the area of La. 182 near Everett Street observed a driver not wearing a seat belt. The vehicle was stopped to investigate. The driver, Eastling, was determined to have a suspended driver’s license. Eastling was jailed.
—Tarell R. Boulanger, 24, of Patterson, was arrested at 7:31 p.m. Saturday on a warrant charging him with aggravated battery.
Boulanger was located on the fairgrounds in the area of Greenwood Street. Boulanger was determined to have an active warrant for the Morgan City Police Department. The warrant stems from an incident on Wren Street in January 2014, in which Boulanger is alleged to have struck an individual using a cell phone. Boulanger was jailed.
—Michael J. Talbert, 36, of Berwick, at 9:34 p.m. Saturday on the charge of appearing in public intoxicated.
Officers located Talbert in the area of Lawrence Park. Officers observed Talbert causing a disturbance on the dance floor. Officers asked Talbert to leave the area several times, but he refused, Blair said. Talbert also appeared intoxicated, Blair said. Talbert was jailed.
—Glenn L. Rochel, 31, of Laura Street in Patterson, at 8:08 p.m. Saturday on the charges of simple assault, disturbing the peace and resisting an officer.
Rochel was placed under arrest in the area of Greenwood Street of the fair grounds. Rochel is alleged to have caused a disturbance with one of the vendors and threaten to strike an individual, Blair said. Rochel also resisted officers by refusing to get into the marked police unit. He later complied and Rochel was jailed.
—Wesley Davis, 32, of Alexandria, at 10:18 p.m. Saturday on the charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana second offense, stop sign violation and possession of a Legend Drug (Promethazine Hydrochloride).
A patrol officer in the area of La. 182 near Duke Street observed a vehicle speeding and fail to stop at a stop sign, Blair said. The officer conducted a traffic stop and the driver, Davis, gave officers consent to search her vehicle, Blair said.
Officers located suspected marijuana, items used to smoke illegal narcotics and a pill identified as promethazine hydrochloride inside Davis’ vehicle, Blair said. She was jailed.
—Frank Lally, 52, of Long Beach, Mississippi, at 11:21 p.m. Saturday on the charge of remaining after being forbidden.
Officers working the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival observed Lally causing a disturbance in the Lawrence Park area. Lally was told to leave the area several times, but did not comply, Blair said. Lally was jailed.
—Bryson Verdin, 25, of Patterson, at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on the charge of simple battery.
Verdin was already incarcerated in the Morgan City jail when he was charged for committing a battery on another inmate, Blair said. Verdin was jailed.
—Kisha Turner, 33, of Duke Street in Morgan City, at 7:18 p.m. Sunday on the charge of domestic abuse battery of a juvenile by strangulation.
Turner was at the Morgan City Police Department to take custody of a female juvenile that had previously been arrested. According to reports, Turner began to strangulate the juvenile in the presence of officers, Blair said. Officers were able to subdue Turner, and she was jailed.
—Richard K. Hawkins, 40, of Birch Street in Morgan City, at 10:39 p.m. Sunday on the charges of disturbing the peace and remaining after being forbidden.
Officers working the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival fairgrounds observed a disturbance. They made contact with Hawkins and told him to leave the area several times, but he did not comply, Blair said. Hawkins was jailed and later released on bail.
—Gerson Perez, 27, of Freret Street in Morgan City, at 12:52 a.m. Monday on the charges of no driver’s license, tail light required, possession of alcoholic beverage in motor vehicle and resisting an officer.
A patrol officer in the area of Fourth Street and Brashear Avenue observed a vehicle with improper lighting and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, Perez, did not have a driver’s license, Blair said. Perez was placed under arrest. While trying to place Perez in custody, he began to resist the officer, Blair said. Perez was subdued and jailed.
—Brittney Lowe, 33, of Second Street in Morgan City, at 10:20 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging her with failure to appear and on a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office warrant for issuing worthless checks.
Lowe was locate at her residence on Second Street and placed under arrest for active warrants she held for the 16th Judicial District Court and the 6th Ward City Court. Lowe was jailed.
—Christiane M. Stoute, 40, of Leona Street in Morgan City, at 10:14 p.m. Monday on a warrant charging her with contempt of court.
Stoute was located in the area of La. 70. A local warrants check was done for Stoute and it was determined that she held an active warrant for the Sixth Ward City Court. Stoute was jailed and later released on bail.
—Dean Bernanek, 29, of Burchfield Lane in Berwick, at 9:16 a.m. Tuesday on the charges of resisting an officer, reckless operation of a vehicle, and hit and run driving. Officers were dispatched to the area of Ditch Avenue in regards to a vehicle that was involved in a vehicle crash on the U.Ss 90 Federal Avenue down ramp.
Officers were given the description of the vehicle and able to locate the vehicle in the area of Ditch Avenue and Seventh Street. Officers made contact with the driver, Dean Bernanek, who had fled on foot. Officers apprehended Bernanek, a short time later.
Bernanek was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and was jailed.
—Janice W. Brown, 45, of Thibodaux, at 9 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of possession of marijuana and on warrants for failure to appear (two counts). Brown was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic stop.
A local warrants check was done on Brown and it was determined that she held active warrants for the Sixth Ward City Court. Brown also had suspected marijuana in her possession. Brown was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and was jailed.
—Scott Holtz, 40, of Lowell, Wisconsin, at 9:18 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of appearing in public intoxicated. A patrol officer in the area of Federal and Brashear avenues observed an individual that appeared intoxicated walking in the roadway.
The officer made contact with Holtz, who was unable to maintain his balance while talking to the officer. Holtz also had an odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. Holtz was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and was jailed.
—Rodney J. Cormier, 34, of Rayne, at 12:42 a.m. Wednesday on the following charge on a warrant for failure to appear (Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office). Officers located Cormier on Allison Street.
Officers had been dispatched to the area in regards to a disturbance. A warrants check was done on Cormier and it was determined that he held an active warrant for the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Cormier was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 42 complaints and reported the following arrests:
—Jennifer Monssen, 37, of the 1100 block of Federal Avenue in Morgan City, at 4:13 p.m. on two warrants for issuing worthless checks. Monssen turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Franklin. She was released on a summons to appear in court on Dec. 7.
—Mark Buteaux, 47, of the 100 block of Shady Grove Drive in Patterson, at 7:13 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of criminal trespassing and on a warrant for issuing worthless checks. A deputy received information regarding the current whereabouts of Buteaux. The deputy located Buteaux at his residence and transported to the parish jail. No bail was set.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.

This story was written by Shea Drake of The Daily Review staff. Reach her at sdrake@daily-review.com.