Suspect arrested twice in two weeks

Published 11:47 pm Thursday, May 14, 2009

One suspect was arrested twices in the past two weeks on similar charges.

Warren Gonzales, 27, of 38963 Howard O’Berry Rd., Pearl River, La., was arrested twice in the past two weeks by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, both times for methamphetamine charges.

On April 30, investigators with the department received information that Gonzales would be entering Pearl River County with the alleged intention of cooking the drug, said Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier. Surveillance was set up on Interstate 59 to await his entrance to the county.

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The investigators saw Gonzales travel into the county via the interstate and exit into the Picayune area. They followed him to the intersection of U.S. 11 and Memorial Boulevard where a stop was conducted on the vehicle Gonzales was in it. Investigators found several precursor chemicals, such as lithium batteries, salt and lye, in the car that could be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Also, investigators found 200 methadone, six Lorcet, 22 Xanax, four Klonopin and 11 Soma pills in the vehicle, Saucier said. Gonzales, who said he is unemployed, had $1,900 in cash on his person. The drugs, precursor chemicals and cash were all seized.

Gonzales was charged with six counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of possession of precursor chemicals, Saucier said.

After bonding out, Sheriff’s Department investigators came across Gonzales again on Sunday, while they were checking out an unrelated complaint in the area. As the investigators checked out the complaint at 35 Mason Miller Rd., they found Gonzales sleeping on the couch at the residence. Next to Gonzales was a burnt piece of foil, suspected to have been used to smoke methamphetamine. The investigators also noted Gonzales was coddling a pill bottle, Saucier said.

Inside the pill bottle was a clear plastic bag with what appeared to be about nine grams of methamphetamine, Saucier said. Gonzales was again arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia. He is being held without bond due to his previous felony arrest.

According to earlier reports, Gonzales was arrested in February for his alleged involvement with a methamphetamine lab on Shorty Burgess Roadd. He then reportedly was charged with possession of precursor chemicals and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.