Sheriff: 'Spring Cleaning' operation makes 27 drug arrests; 17 more suspects wanted

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office with assistance from agencies across the parish arrested 27 suspects Wednesday morning on warrants for various drug charges, including distribution and possession of illegal drugs, Sheriff Mark Hebert said in a news release. Authorities were still searching for another 17 suspects in connection with the operation as of Wednesday afternoon.
The warrants were obtained after conducting multiple long term undercover investigations led by the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division with the assistance of Vermillion and Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Offices, Louisiana State Police, and Patterson and Morgan City Police Departments. The undercover operations targeted mid to low level drug dealers, the release said.
The Spring Cleaning operation began at 7 a.m. Wednesday when the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office executed arrest warrants for the suspects with the assistance of Morgan City, Berwick, Patterson, and Franklin Police Departments and Louisiana State Police, the release said.
The following were arrested on warrants and booked into the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center:
--Anthony G. Ruffin, 34, of Franklin was arrested at 7:26 a.m. in the 400 block of O’Neal Chube Road in Franklin for distribution of cocaine. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Jessica Simoneaux, 32, of the 1900 block of Canal Drive, Franklin was arrested at her residence at 7:46 a.m. for possession of marijuana. Simoneaux was released on a summons to appear in court on May 27, 2016.
--William M. Pierre, 32, of Baldwin, was arrested on Orphan Home Lane in Baldwin at 8:20 a.m. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. During the arrest, Pierre was also found to be in possession of a small plastic baggie containing cocaine and a straw suspected of being used to ingest the drug. He is also charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. No bail is set.
--Charlie Salas III, 50, of Morgan City, was arrested at 7:49 a.m. in the 500 block of Taft Street in Patterson, for theft. Salas was released on a summons to appear in court May 27.
--Malcolm Smith, 29, of Morgan City, was arrested at 7:10 a.m in the 100 block of Orange Street in Morgan City for possession of cocaine and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a juvenile. No bail is set.
--Cyrilla G. Lyons, 50, of Morgan City, was arrested at 8:35 a.m. in the 700 block of Arlington Road in Bayou Vista, for possession of Norco and possession of methamphetamine. No bail is set.
--Darrell J. Gash, 35, of Berwick, was arrested at 8:35 a.m. in the 700 block of Arlington Road in Bayou Vista, for distribution of marijuana. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Bryan G. Fontenot, 45, of the 3500 block of La. 182 in Berwick, was arrested at his residence at 7:16 a.m. for distribution of marijuana. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Jeanne M. Pisani, 57, of the 100 block of Uranus Road in Bayou Vista, was arrested at her residence at 8:04 a.m. for distribution of suboxone. During the arrest, Pierre was also found to be in possession a Subutex pill. She is also charged with possession of Subutex. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Stephanie M. Harvey, 37, of Morgan City, was arrested at 7:39 a.m. in the 100 block of Cane Road in Bayou Vista, for distribution of methamphetamine. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Jessie Grady, 40, of the 800 block of Amelia, was arrested at 7:22 a.m. in the 600 block of Terrebonne Street in Morgan City, for distribution of methamphetamine. Bail is set at $100,000.
--Morris Garrison, of the 600 block of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at his residence at 7:56 a.m. for distribution of crack cocaine. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Tiffany L. Randolph, 26, of the 7200 block of La. 182 East in Morgan City, was arrested at her residence at 8:33 a.m. for conspiracy to distribute synthetic cannabinoids. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Edward L. Williams, 40, of the 100 block of Friendship Alley in Amelia, was arrested at his residence at 7:14 a.m. for distribution of crack cocaine. No bail is set.
--Hodges F. Matthews, 37. of the 100 block of Friendship Alley in Amelia, was arrested at his residence at 6:59 a.m. for distribution of crack cocaine. Bail is set at $100,000.
--Eric T. Gaskins, 35, of the 100 block of Friendship Alley in Amelia, was arrested at his residence at 7:05 a.m. for distribution of crack cocaine. Bail is set at $100,000.
--Herman T. Delco, 33, of the 100 block of Odile Lane in Amelia, was arrested at his residence at 7:59 a.m. for distribution of cocaine. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Eddie Brown, 42, of the 1300 block of Joseph Street in Siracusa, was arrested at his residence at 8:18 a.m. for distribution of cocaine. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Michele Ashley, of the 100 block of South Verret Road in Amelia, was arrested at her residence at 7:38 a.m. for distribution of synthetic cannabinoids. Bail is set at $10,000.
--Gary J. Johnson, 41, of Morgan City was already incarcerated at the Patterson jail when he was charged with conspiracy to introduce contraband into a penal institution.
--Tanya Perez, 35, of the 200 block of Trevino Street in Berwick, was located and arrested at a business in Morgan City at 10:03 a.m. for distribution of Narco. Bail is set at $10,000.
--David Burrell of Patterson, was already located at the Iberia Parish jail when he was charged with conspiracy to distribute Schedule I ecstasy.
--Reginald K. Sims, 35, of Morgan City, was already incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center when he was charged with possession of synthetic cannabinoids.
--Preston J. Wade, 25, of Amelia, was already incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center when he was charged with distribution of marijuana.
--Kevin J. Drexler, 33, of Morgan City, was already incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center when he was charged with principal to distribution synthetic cannabinoids.
--Renata Harris, 35, of Bayou Vista, was already incarcerated at the Avoyelles Parish Correctional Center when she was charged with distribution of marijuana.
--Nathanial A. Rollins, 20, of Patterson, was already incarcerated at the Allen Parish Correctional Center when he was charged with distribution of synthetic cannabinoids.
--Yolanda Pitts, 39, of Patterson, was arrested at 1:50 p.m. for distribution of ecstasy. Pitts turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Morgan City after learning that detectives were looking for her on the warrant.
Previously arrested on a warrant that resulted from the undercover operations was Casey Lopez, 34, of the 1700 block of Kemper Street, Patterson, LA. She was arrested at 11:36 a.m. March 9.
At as about 2 p.m. Wednesday, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office still held active warrants for the following suspects:
Cheryl Ledet, 44, Morgan City
Mary Ortis, 63, Morgan City
Nickolas J. Morris, 28, Amelia
Kerry Sons, Jr., 24, Berwick
Jeremy Hall, 25, Patterson
Jennifer Zahn, 35, Amelia
Christopher J. Howard, 33, Four Corners
Kaleb Calloway, 19, Morgan City
Kathryn Vines, 43, Jeanerette
Leroy Bailey, 30, Morgan City
Lorenzo C. Merritt, 27, Bayou Vista
Breunte Morris, 24, Morgan City
Brandon Williams, 31, Amelia
Edward Trimm Jr., 41, Siracusa
Devante Frank, 23, Morgan City
Brontre Druilet, 24, Baldwin
Gary Barrios, 52, Morgan City
Anyone with information on the suspects may contact the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-384-1622 or 337-828-1960 or by email at crimewatch@stmaryso.com. Those who provide information may remain anonymous.