Elderly couple nabbed with $20,000 worth of pills

At ages 73 and 62, John Ordoyne and his wife Evelyn Hotard Ordoyne were unlikely drug kingpins.

But the Lafourche Parish Drug Task Force thought differently and, after years of investigations and surveillance, brought the Bayou Blue couple’s illegal trade to an end.

The Ordoynes, of 392 Skyline Drive, were arrested Wednesday night, the sheriff’s office reported.

“We’ve been after these two for four years but could not pin them down with the drugs we knew they were selling,” said Lt. Chet Caillout, a member of the drug task force. “But, with persistence, this time we got lucky and recovered hundreds of pills, a firearm, and $934 in cash.”

Caillouet said authorities believe the Ordoynes are indirectly responsible for several drug overdoses in Lafourche Parish in recent years.

“We had countless hours of surveillance and made several traffic stops from vehicles coming from the Ordoyne residence which resulted in arrests, but no one wanted to cooperate,” he said. “Without the assistance of concerned citizens, this arrest would not have been possible. We are confident that these two will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

John Ordoyne was arrested on a warrant for being a principal to the distribution of Schedule II narcotics. His wife, Evelyn, was arrested on two warrants for the distribution of Schedule III narcotics.

At the time of his arrest, John Ordoyne had 35 Lortabs, 11 Somas and a half dose of Didrex, according to authorities.

Armed with a search warrant for the Ordoyne residence, agents entered the Bayou Blue home around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Over 2,350 pills, valued on the street at nearly $20,000, were seized from the home.

The couple was also charged with:

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule III narcotics (9 MS Contin);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule III narcotics (141 Lorcet);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule III narcotics (113 Lortab);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Legend drugs (1,403 Soma);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV narcotics (294 1/2 Xanax);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule II narcotics (380 Dilaudid);

€ Possession with intent to distribute Schedule II narcotics (13 Percadan);

€ Possession of Schedule III narcotics (1/2 dose of Didrex);

€ Possession of CDS in the presence of a juvenile;

€ Possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS.

State District Judge John LeBlanc set bond for John Ordoyne at $110,000 and Evelyn Ordoyne at $225,000, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Larry Weidel said.

The couple is being held at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. Neither one had an extensive prior criminal history, Weidel said.