On September 23, 2023, detectives from the Picayune Police Department Narcotics Division conducted a traffic stop on a Black Nissan Versa at I-59 Northbound Exit 6 on the ramp at approximately 8:20 p.m., citing speeding and disregarding a traffic device.

The occupants included the driver, Jayce Dawdy, and back seat passengers, Zane Davis, and a juvenile. Utilizing K9 assistance, an open-air sniff for illegal narcotics was conducted, resulting in a positive alert for the presence of prohibited substances. A subsequent vehicle search revealed Promethazine (a schedule IV narcotic) and a marijuana pipe. Further investigation disclosed that Zane Davis had a concealed THC vape. Additionally, the juvenile was found in possession of 12 pressed Fentanyl pills disguised as Blue M30s, attempting to discard them during the investigation, later revealed to be holding the pills for Davis.

Dawdy received citations for speeding and disregard for a traffic device, with an additional arrest for possession of paraphernalia. Davis was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute (Fentanyl pills) and possession of a controlled substance X2 (Marijuana and Promethazine). The juvenile faced charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute (pressed Fentanyl pills) and tampering with physical evidence, subsequently being released to her parents.

Following the initial arrest, detectives obtained a search warrant for Davis’s residence at 159 Browning Circle. The search uncovered a significant quantity of illegal substances and related materials, including 148 pressed Fentanyl pills disguised as Blue M30s, 16 pressed Fentanyl pills disguised as Alprazolam, 29.5 grams of psilocybin, 15 ounces of marijuana, three handguns, $3,346 in US currency, two digital scales, and packaging materials commonly associated with narcotics distribution.

Subsequently, Davis faced additional charges, including trafficking a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute within 1500 feet of a Church three times over.