Four drug offenders caught in LPSO raid

Four more drug offenders were arrested Thursday morning in Lafourche Parish, bringing the week’s total number of arrests to six, according to a Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

The Lafourche Drug Task Force has been hitting the streets hard, staking raid, LPSO Public Information Officer Larry Weidel said. Over the summer, agents went so far as to meet with residents of East 71st Street in Cut Off, where a Nov. 2 drug raid occurred, to discuss the prevailing drug culture, he said.

Based on arrest statistics and feedback from neighbors, the two-block area – East 71st Street to East 72nd Street – were targeted as high distributing zones for illegal drug traffic, Weidel said.

Following months of surveillance, Weidel said agents Thursday arrested Terry Lynn Hunter, 55, 283 East 71st St., Cut Off; Corey Matthews, 31, 137 JDA Court, Gray; Daniel Borne, 28, 130 West 178th St., Galliano; and Sancey Guidry, 22, 305 West 13th St., Cut Off.

Hunter arrived as officials were securing the residence, the spokesman said. Hunter told agents he had allowed Matthews to use his vehicle to go pick up crack cocaine to sell at his house, Weidel said.

Inside the residence, Matthews was found in a rear bedroom, Weidel said. Agents reported finding a black plate with suspected cocaine on it and a razor blade on the dresser in plain view, the spokesman said. They also found methadone in a cigar box on the bed, he said. Agents also seized approximately 12.7 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 19.3 grams of suspected marijuana and 12 grams of suspected cocaine in a bag inside a closet, Weidel said.

In a separate labeled bag, he said agents found 13 Somas and one Darvacet, and, under some clothes in the closet, 18.8 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 7.5 grams of suspected cocaine and 21 Xanax pills. A marijuana blunt, razor blade and a mirror were also recovered off the bed, he said. Matthews told police all of the drugs recovered in the bedroom were his, the spokesman said.

Weidel said agents also recovered $2,200 in cash.

With one previous drug arrest, Hunter could face up to a $20,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and operating a crack house, Weidel said.

Matthews has been arrested 16 times on drug related and theft charges, and jailed eight times, the spokesman said. With Matthew’s previous record and the current charges – possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of legend drugs, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute Xanax, possession of Darvacet, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to distribute methadone – he could be jailed for 30 years and receive a $50,000 fine.

As the task force searched Hunter’s residence, Borne pulled into the driveway, Weidel said. Three passengers were also in the truck, he said.

When officials approached the vehicle they detected a heavy odor of marijuana, the spokesman said. When the agents had Borne step out of the truck, a partially smoked, hand-rolled cigarette, which contained marijuana, fell from his lap, he said.

Agents also found a brown prescription bottle with no label that had two types of medications inside in Borne’s possession, Weidel said.

Borne was arrested and charged with alleged possession charges of marijuana and legend drugs. Weidel said Borne has a history of distribution charges as well as simple and second-degree battery charges, resisting an officer and domestic abuse charged, and has been jailed 21 times, according to police.

Shortly after Borne was arrested, a silver Lincoln driven by Guidry pulled into the driveway. Agents spotted a can on the rear seat, which had burned a spot on the seat, Weidel said. After a K-9 alerted agents to the scent of narcotics inside the Lincoln, the officers searched the car, he said. Inside the can, they found a rock of crack cocaine, he noted.

Guidry was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while under suspension. A first-time offender, Guidry could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

LPSO Sheriff Craig Webre said in a release that multiple arrests have been made on 71st and 72nd streets in recent months. He credits the work and dedication of these drug agents, as well as the hard work in helping to remove trafficking from this area.

The task force arrested two men earlier on Oct. 30. Randy Cheramie of Lockport and Terry Lee Wheaton of Raceland were charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, respectively.