Criminal patrol leads to drug arrest

A man walking between houses in the 200 block of Prince Collins Street caught the attention of officers conducting a criminal patrol in the area early Friday morning.

Houma Police Officer Thomas Rhodes stopped Reginald Johnson, 46, of 205 Prince Collins St., who became very belligerent toward the officer and quickly put his left hand into his pants pocket, said Lt. Todd Duplantis, police department spokesman.

When Rhodes asked Johnson what was in his pocket, Johnson admitted it was a crack pipe. The office seized the pipe for evidence, Duplantis said.

As Rhodes attempted to arrest Johnson for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, the Houma man began to resist. Rhodes had to wrestle Johnson to the ground to handcuff him.

Inside Johnson’s jacket, the officer found an open cigarette pack that contained suspected powder cocaine, the spokesman said. Also, in Johnson’s right inner shoe and sock, Rhodes found anther clear plastic bag containing suspected crack cocaine.

The narcotics were also seized for evidence, Duplantis said. The powder cocaine weighed approximately 3.8 grams and the suspected crack cocaine weighed about 3 grams, the spokesman said.

Johnson was booked at the Terrebonne Parish Jail with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of crack and powder cocaine and resisting an office by violence.

If convicted, Johnson can face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to Duplantis.