Police: Traffic stop turns up 34 Ecstasy pills

A 22-year-old Morgan City man was caught with 34 Ecstasy pills and marijuana after narcotics detectives conducted a traffic stop Tuesday, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Jalen D. Allen, 22, of Federal Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 6:55 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of possession of marijuana second offense, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of Schedule I MDMA-Ecstasy with the intent to distribute, failure to signal turn, violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance law-drug free zone, resisting an officer and on a hold for probation and parole.
Morgan City Police narcotics detectives with the assistance of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s narcotics unit were patrolling the high crime areas of Morgan City and observed a vehicle fail to signal a turn at an intersection, Blair said.
The vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Brashear Avenue and Fourth Street. The driver, later identified as Allen, was observed by officers attempting to conceal an object inside the vehicle, Blair said.
Allen exited the vehicle and began to shout at officers and took a threatening stance and attempted to pull away from investigators so officers had to restrain him, Blair said. Officers observed suspected marijuana inside the vehicle and continued the investigation, the chief said.
Investigators, upon searching the vehicle, discovered items of paraphernalia along with a cellophane bag which contained 34 pills of suspected MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, Blair said. Allen was jailed where he remains.
Blair reported the following arrests:
—Jermoud E. Watts, 24, of Apple Street in Morgan City, at 11:49 a.m. Tuesday on the charge of taking contraband to or from a penal institution.
Watts, an inmate in the Morgan City jail was arrested after correctional officers discovered he had entered the jail with a cigarette lighter, which is defined as contraband, Blair said. He remains in jail.
—David A. Darcey, 21, of Fifth Street in Bridge City, at 2:37 p.m. Tuesday on warrants for failure to appear for trial on the charge of resisting an officer, failure to appear for trial on the charge of disturbing the peace intoxicated and failure to appear for trial on the charge of possession of marijuana.
Darcey was located in the City Court building where he was placed under arrest on an outstanding warrant for the Sixth Ward City Court of Morgan City. He was jailed.
—Nathaniel A. Rollins, 19, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:49 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for failure to pay a fine on the charge of possession of marijuana, taking contraband to or from a penal institution, possession of Schedule I synthetic marijuana and on a hold for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Rollins was transported to the Morgan City Police Department jail from the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center in Centerville. Correctional officers discovered Rollins had entered the jail in possession of suspected synthetic marijuana which was concealed in his clothing, Blair said. Rollins was booked on the charge.
—Aaron Simoneaux, 26, of La. 70 in Morgan City, at 7:01 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of simple battery.
Officers, dispatched to a disturbance in the 500 block of Roderick Street, were advised by a victim and witnesses that Simoneaux went to a residence, confronted the resident and struck the victim, Blair said. Officers located Simoneaux and he was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported responding to 46 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:
—Ashton Allen, 23, of the 400 block of Ehrlich Street in Berwick, at 7:51 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of resisting an officer, possession of methamphetamine and possession of Schedule III Subutex. Detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s narcotics division working with detectives with the Morgan City Police Department were patrolling the area of Federal Avenue near Marshall Street in Morgan City when they observed Allen riding a bicycle in the roadway.
When Allen saw detectives, he began exhibiting behavior consistent with illegal drug activity including acting nervous, grabbing his pants pocket, and refusing to make eye contact with detectives. When detectives attempted to speak with Allen, he fled on the bike, Hebert said.
While fleeing from detectives, the bike malfunctioned causing him to fall to the ground. Allen was detained pending further investigation. Allen consented to a search of his person and detectives located a small bag containing methamphetamine, a cellophane bag containing a Subutex pill and a small bag containing a white powdery residue. Allen was jailed with no bail set.
—Adrian Hixon, 32, of the 700 block of Parish Road 131 in Franklin, at 12:52 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of resisting an officer (by giving false information), driving under suspension, and on a warrant for operating a vehicle not covered by security and following too close. A deputy responded to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle on U.S. 90 in the Calumet area and made contact with a man, Hebert said. While speaking with the man, the deputy learned that he gave false information regarding his identity, the sheriff said. The deputy also learned that the subject, later identified as Hixon, was driving under suspension and had an active warrant for his arrest. Hixon was jailed with no bail set.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com