Franklin man arrested on drug charge, warrants

A 19-year-old Franklin man was arrested after fleeing the scene to escape police for drug possession and violating protective orders, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

—Dustin M. Lovell, 19, of Sandy Lane in Franklin, was arrested at 11:26 p.m. Wednesday on the charge of possession of marijuana and on two warrants for violation of a protective order.

—Bethany R. Crochet, 19, of Belanger Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:46 p.m. Wednesday on a charge for possession of marijuana.

Officers responded to a local motel on La. 182 in regards to an anonymous tip that Lovell was occupying a room at the business. It was known by officers that the Morgan City Police Department held active warrants on Lovell.

The officers went to the room and knocked on the door when the officers could hear movement inside.

Moments later a woman identified as Crochet answered the door while other officers on the perimeter of the room observed Lovell exit a window at the rear of the room and flee in an effort to evade police. Lovell was captured moments later and arrested .

While speaking with Crochet, officers observed what appeared to be marijuana on a table inside the room. A subsequent search was conducted when more suspected marijuana was located.

Crochet was placed under arrest at which time both she and Lovell were transported to the Morgan City Jail where they were booked and incarcerated.

Blair reported the following arrests:

—Benjamin J. Justilian, 18, of Duke Street in Morgan City, at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday on warrants for failure to appear on Aug. 4, 2015, for improper lighting and driving under suspension.

Justilian turned himself in at the Morgan City Police Department regarding active warrants held by the 6th Ward Morgan City City Court. Justilian was booked into the Morgan City Jail and incarcerated.

—Tammy Prevost, 42, of Chatsworth Drive in Morgan City, at 2 p.m. Wednesday on the charge of disturbing the peace by fighting.

—Stephanie M. Harvey, 37, of Cane Street in Morgan City, at 2 p.m. Wednesday on the charge of disturbing the peace by fighting.

Officers responded to the parking lot of the Morgan City Court regarding a disturbance. Reports indicate that as officers arrived, two females, identified as Prevost and Harvey, were engaged in a physical altercation.

Prevost and Harvey were separated by the officers and placed under arrest . The two were then booked into the Morgan City Jail and incarcerated.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 40 complaints and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:

—Matthew Freeman, 23, of the 600 block of Sebby’s Lane in Bayou Vista, at 3:05 a.m. Wednesday on the charge of operating a motor vehicle without insurance.

A deputy stopped a vehicle on Belleview Street in Bayou Vista that matched a description released in a be-on-the-lookout advisory from a neighboring agency. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Freeman.

The deputy found that Freeman was not the suspect being sought, but was operating the vehicle without insurance. Freeman was released on a summons to appear in court Aug. 29.

—Desmond J. Richard, 34, of the 300 Michael Drive in Patterson, at 7:58 a.m. Wednesday on warrants for criminal damage to property and failure to appear on the charge of criminal neglect of family.

The warrant for criminal damage to property was obtained following an investigation into a complaint received in March. The deputy found that the victim had two flat tires on a vehicle. The tires appeared to have been cut .

The deputy subsequently collected evidence indicating that Richard was responsible for damaging the tires. A correctional officer transported Richard from the Lafayette Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on the warrants. Bail is set at $5,581.51.

—Hakeemia Bias, 22, of the 100 block of Friendship Alley in Amelia, at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday for entering contraband into a penal institution.

While transferring inmate Bias to another dorm, a correctional officer located a makeshift weapon, commonly referred to as a shank, in Bias’ belongings. Bias remains incarcerated with no bail set.

—Demetrius Green, 27, of the 600 block of Shannon Street in Morgan City, at 5:50 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of domestic abuse battery.

Deputies responding to a disturbance on La. 182 near Jupiter Street in Bayou Vista made contact with Green and located the active warrant for his arrest. Green was transported to the parish jail for booking. No bail is set.

—Cameron Jackson, 17, of the 100 block of Sun Road in Bayou Vista, at 8:05 p.m. Saturday on a warrant for criminal damage to property and criminal trespass.

A deputy received information regarding a criminal damage to property complaint from the Patterson Police Department on May 16.

During the course of the investigation, the deputy found evidence that Jackson and three other suspects drove into a gate on private property off Zenor Road in Patterson causing damage to the structure.

A deputy located Jackson at his residence on the warrant and transported him to the parish jail for booking. No bail is set.

—Ben S. McMillin Jr., 46, of the 600 block of Kem Street in Patterson, at 8:47 p.m. Wednesday on the charge of driving under suspension and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of direct contempt, speeding, and failure to honor written promise to appear.

A deputy responding to a complaint of a reckless driver in the Franklin area located the vehicle on U.S. 90 in Patterson and conducted a traffic stop.

The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as McMillin, and found that he was operating the vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. The deputy also located an active warrant for McMillin.

Following the traffic stop, the deputy transported McMillin to the parish jail for booking. He was later released on bail set at $1,335.

—Kelvin Matthews, 35, of the 600 block of Belanger Street in Morgan City, at 6:22 p.m. Wednesday on the charges of following vehicles closely, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

—Jade Ruiz, 29, of the 600 block of Belanger Street in Morgan City, at 6:22 p.m. Wednesday for possession of marijuana.

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office K9 Unit observed a vehicle traveling close behind another vehicle on U.S. 90 in the Morgan City area and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy made contact with the driver, Matthews, and a passenger, Ruiz.

During the course of the investigation, the deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located a container, commonly referred to as a dug-out with marijuana inside.

A marijuana cigar was located in the ashtray and two marijuana cigars were located in Ruiz’s purse. Matthews and Ruiz were released on summons to appear in court on Aug. 29.

Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported the following arrest:

—Howard Lee Gabriel, 53, of the 200 block of Easy Street in Patterson, at 3:35 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for theft and unauthorized entry of inhabited dwelling. Gabriel remains jailed. No bail is set.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.