More suspects have been arrested for drug related offenses as part of the Picayune Police Department’s Operation Fall Sweep.
On Oct. 27, three suspects were identified as suspects in a drug related case after receiving information that ecstasy and marijuana was being sold from a home on Richard Street, according to a report filed with the department.
Investigation into the incident determined that 25-year-old Sapphire Lashay Stevens of 715 S. Haugh Ave., 24-year-old Corey Joe Cooper and 29 Christian Cooper both of 620 Richard Street, were allegedly selling controlled substances from the Richard Street home.
Surveillance of the home identified possible drug activity, the report states, leading to a search warrant. When the warrant was served, officers found that Christian and Sapphire were not at the Richard Street home, but Corey Cooper was detained.
During the search, the officers found marijuana residue on a pool table and some marijuana stored in containers, along with some ecstasy in the kitchen in pill bottles. In a bedroom, the officers found a revolver and counterfeit currency, the report states.
Corey Cooper was arrested for possession of counterfeit currency and trafficking a controlled substance.
Warrants against Stevens and Christian Cooper were signed for the same offenses. The report states that Christian turned himself in on Nov. 3, while Stevens was picked up at the county jail in Millard on Nov. 2.
On Oct. 24, Carlos Lapree Bolar, 40, of 152 Greenview Drive was arrested in a separate case for felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. That arrest occurred while officers were attempting to serve a warrant at the home, but found Bolar and an unnamed female in the back of a vehicle parked near the tree line in the backyard. The report states that Bolar gave a false name. After the officer positively identified Bolar, a search of his vehicle found oxycodone and clonazepam inside, leading to Bolar’s arrest.
A third case took place on Oct. 25, while an officer was attempting to locate some stolen property. As the officer walked up the home, he saw 25-year-old Whitney Penton of 1116 York Street sleeping on a couch in the garage. It took several minutes to wake Penton, during which time the officer noticed drug paraphernalia on the table and bags containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine residue. The stolen property was discovered in the garage and in her purse was methamphetamine. Continued investigation discovered pill containers with Xanax, amphetamine, lorazepam, oxycodone and digital scales. In a black pouch, the officer found syringes containing a liquid suspected to be heroin. Penton was arrested for three counts of felony possession of a controlled substance for the methamphetamine, heroin and amphetamine, and five counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance for the Xanax, oxycodone, lorazepam, vyvanse and marijuana.
On Nov. 5, Linnzell Washington, 22 of 214 N. Haugh Ave was arrested for no driver’s license, noise violation, DUI and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute within 1,500 feet of a school or church after a stop was conducted on his vehicle for the noise violation.
The report filed with the department states that during the stop, Washington was unable to provide his driver’s license. During that interaction, the officer detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, leading to a pat down that found cash in his pocket. The subsequent search of his vehicle found bags containing a white rock-like substance that field tests determined could be heroin, leading to his arrest for the offenses.
The last case took place on July 27, but did not result in an arrest of the suspect until Nov. 3, the report states. The warrant was issued after Stone William Primeaux was captured on surveillance footage at a local pharmacy allegedly selling a controlled substance, the report states. A warrant was issued for his arrest for selling a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church.
Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said these arrests are part of Chief Bryan Dawsey’s continued efforts to remove drug from the streets.