Narcotic investigators with the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office arrived at the residence of Albert L. “Butch” Arnold on LA 127 South of Olla at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2011, for the purpose of serving a search warrant.

Several weeks earlier, narcotic detectives had received information that illegal drugs were being manufactured at this residence and began an investigation into the matter. Enough evidence was gathered to garner a search warrant for the residence.

Upon arrival at the home, officers found that no one was there and a search began for any evidence of illegal activity and officers soon located several items consistent with a clandestine lab for manufacturing methamphetamines.

While officers were searching the residence, Albert Arnold, Joshua Arnold, Matilda Holmes, and Patrick Shipley arrived at the residence. When officers announced their presence, Josh Arnold, Shipley and Holmes ran from the home. All were apprehended after a short foot pursuit.

During a search of each person, officers found a quantity of suspected methamphetamines packaged for sale and syringes that appeared to have been used to inject suspected narcotics.

All four were placed under arrest for various narcotic violations and transported to the LaSalle Parish Jail where they were booked on the following charges:

Albert L. “Butch Arnold, 57, of Olla, charged with creation/operation of a clandestine lab, possession of CDS II (methamphetamines), possession of drug paraphernalia, and a hold was issued by Probation and Parole.

Joshua L. Arnold, 24, of Olla, charged with creation/operation of a clandestine lab, possession of CDS II (methamphetamines), possession of drug paraphernalia, and a hold was issued by Probation and Parole.

Patrick Keith Shipley, 22, of Olla, charged with possession of CDS II (methamphetamines), possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer; and bond was set at $10,500.

Matilda Lynn Holmes, 20, of Olla, charged with creation/possession of a clandestine lab, and bond was set at $15,000.

A large array of drug paraphernalia was seized during a search of a residence near Olla by narcotic investigators with the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 21. Four people were arrested and booked into the parish jail on charges ranging from creation/possession of a clandestine lab to resisting an officer.

Judy, the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office bloodhound, found a 65-year-old Urania man in the woods near his home about four hours after he was reported missing on Monday, October 24, 2011.

Urania Chief of Police Wayne Corley said he was notified at about 5:30 p.m. on that date, that Bud Ates, 65, of Urania, was missing from his home.

Corley said Ates was known to go riding in the woods near his home on his Hoveround, but had never been reported missing. Corley and several volunteers on ATVs and on foot, started searching for Ates.

At about 8 p.m. after their search proved fruitless, Corley contacted the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office for help.

Corley contacted Sheriff Scott Franklin to request assistance.  Sheriff Franklin dispatched Deputy Jeremy Roark to the scene with instructions to utilized the department’s bloodhound, Judy, to search for the missing man.

Sheriff Franklin, Deputy Roark and Judy were on the scene around 8:30 p.m. Judy was provided some of Ates’ clothing to obtain a scent for tracking.

Judy then made a bee-line through the woods to where Ates was still sitting in his Hoveround, waiting for help to arrive. It took Judy about ten minutes to find the missing man.

“With so many people walking in the woods looking for the missing man, it is amazing that Judy was able to track him so well,” Deputy Roark said. “But once Judy had a scent of Ates’ clothing, she had no problem in tracking him.”

Chief Corley said Ates had gone into the woods before dark and had fallen asleep in his Hoveround. When he awoke, it was pitch dark and he could not see how to get back to his home, so he just waited for help.

Corley said he was glad the situation turned out like it did and that Ates did not have to spend the night in the woods, because it got very cold that night and he was not dressed for cold weather.

Corley extended his thanks to all the volunteers who showed up to help and to the LPSO for assisting in the search, which lead to finding Ates.

Judy, the LPSO’s bloodhound and Deputy Jeremy Roark are shown with Bud Ates at the Urania Town Hall.

A burglary at the Summerville Grocery and Deli on Halloween night was quickly solved by the investigation of detectives with the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Scott Franklin.

Franklin said the Sheriff’s Office received a call at 7:39 p.m. on Halloween night in reference to a burglar alarm activation at Summerville Grocery.

When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered that someone had thrown a large rock through the side glass door of the business, entered the store and taken a large amount of cigarettes from behind the counter.

LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives were called to the scene of the crime and began an investigation. After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, detectives developed a lead on the vehicle involved in the burglary.

The following morning, detectives arrived at a residence in Nebo and found a vehicle matching the description of the suspected car used in the burglary.

The detectives were allowed inside the residence to speak with occupants, Amber Boyette Holton, 34, Tyler Lee Holton, 17, and Robert Ed Smith, Jr., 24.  Detectives then questioned them about the incident at Summerville Grocery.

The detectives requested and received consent to search the residence, and discovered some of the stolen property from the burglary inside the residence. A search of the suspect vehicle produced more stolen articles.  All three individuals were placed under arrest and transported to the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office for further questioning.

Once there, the trio reportedly confessed to their part in the burglary of Summerville Grocery and Deli. Also, during the same interview, all three reportedly admitted their involvement with the attempted theft of three large central air/heat units at the Shady Grove Pentecostal Church in Nebo. This attempted theft occurred prior to the Summerville incident on Halloween day.

Amber Holton, Tyler Holton and Robert Ed Smith were each booked into the LaSalle Parish Jail on charges of simple burglary of a place of business and attempted felony theft.

A $20,000 Bond was set for each of them.

Another Burglary Solved

LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives were called to Leroy’s Tire and Service Center, located on Highway 8 just west of Jena, on September 27th in reference to a burglary.

Detectives discovered that someone had broken into the business and had taken several items including a large flat screen television, a Bose Wave radio, and a small amount of cash.

The suspect(s) had also broken into the office annex, located next door to the shop, and taken a larger amount of cash from the office. They had also taken a handgun  from a vehicle parked at this location for service work.

Detectives developed leads during the investigation, which soon led to a residence in the Midway Community. Upon arrival at the residence, detectives met with the owner and were allowed inside for an interview. While inside the home, detectives noticed some items that matched the description of the stolen items (flat screen television and Bose Wave radio) in the living room.

During questioning, the owner of the residence gave detectives information about the identity of the person who brought these items to his residence.

Armed with this information, detectives obtained warrants for the arrest of Delvin Hatcher, Jr., age 20. On November 3, Hatcher was arrested and charged with simple burglary of a place of business and booked into the LaSalle Parish Jail where he is awaiting a bond hearing.

Sheriff Franklin commended the detectives for solving the Halloween burglary so quickly, and for the solid investigation and solving of the Leroy’s Tire and Service Center burglary.

“Our impact on drug traffic in LaSalle Parish has reduced the number of burglaries being committed.  All crime in the parish has gone down about 45 percent during the past three years,” Franklin noted.

“But when a burglary is reported, we work non-stop to find those responsible and hold them accountable,” the Sheriff stated. “And as I have said in the past, we sincerely appreciate the involvement of our concerned citizens who notice things and report them to us, which makes solving these crimes easier.”

“We encourage anyone that witnesses anything unusual taking place to notify our office,” he said. “We take these reports seriously and many times they aid us in solving a crime.”

LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Narcotics, Detective Robert Terral, and LPSO Detective Brant King recently completed a methamphetamine lab response training class conducted by MERIT Training Programs at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy in Shreveport during the week of June 20th, 2011. Detectives Terral and King both completed the 40-hour training program and received OSHA Certification as Hazardous Material Specialist and Site Incident Commander for responding to and processing clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. During this training, the detectives learned about the different types of meth labs, how to identify each of these labs, and how to process these labs safely. They each received over 24-hours of hands on training and 16-hours of lecture and classroom work. During training class, both Terral and King received certification in Level A Protective Gear for processing of meth labs.

Terral said, “The common components for manufacturing meth include: pseudoephedrine or ephedrine (cold tablets), fertilizer, sodium hydroxide (red devil lye), solvent (Coleman fuel, acetone, gas, ether), hydrochloric acid (Muriatic Acid), sulfuric acid-drain cleaner (liquid fire), aluminum foil, Epsom salts, hydrogen peroxide and rock and table salt. Supplies commonly used to assist in the manufacture of meth include coffee filters, grinders, plastic tubing, plastic or glass containers, torches, hot plates, and lithium batteries“. Terral asks that you call the Sheriff’s Office if you suspect that an individual is purchasing a combination of these items or buying them in bulk for meth creation.

Sheriff Scott Franklin said, “The training these two officers received provides an advantage to the parish. It is very cost effective because we can now process meth labs internally without assistance from outside agencies, which saves time and expense. We can collect all evidence necessary for Court, plus these officers are certified to dispose of or dismantle meth labs. Both of these officers demonstrated advanced knowledge of methods and procedures for safely responding to and processing crime scenes where methamphetamines are illegally being manufactured”. The Sheriff also noted, “I commend them for being willing to further their knowledge which will be a valuable asset to your Sheriff’s office in future meth lab seizures.”

The hard work and dedication of the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division has once again resulted in the arrest of more individuals on drug distribution and possession charges. Sheriff Scott Franklin called the latest roundup “Operation Option Three, Phase 2”, saying it was a continuation of the first roundup held in July 2009, and is based on his campaign slogan, “Quit, Move, or go to Jail.” Officers from the Jena Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force joined LaSalle Parish Sheriff officers at 5 a.m. last Thursday morning to begin serving a number of arrest warrants.

The warrants had been obtained as a result of an undercover investigation stemming back as far as 2008, Franklin said. This operation, including other roundups and individual arrests from the beginning of Franklin’s term to the present date, brings the total number of narcotic arrests in the parish to over 500. “As I have stated since I begin my campaign and took over as your Sheriff, we are working daily to rid our parish of illegal narcotics,” Franklin said. “This is what I promised from day one, and a vast majority of our efforts at the LPSO is devoted to developing cases against those who would sell or use illegal drugs in the parish.” “I might add that a lot of our success in making this many drug arrests in less than three years goes to the citizens of this parish for their assistance,” he said. “Many of our cases are made from tips received from citizens who don’t mind becoming involved in getting drugs out of their communities.” “I am proud of the record we have established in the parish on stopping the sale and use of illegal narcotics,” Sheriff Franklin stated. “But I am more pleased that we have made our communities safer for our children and adults to live their daily lives.” “Even with more than 500 narcotic arrests, I know our job is not complete,” he said. “It is a daily battle trying to out-smart those who would bring illegal drugs into our parish to sell to our citizens, especially our young people. As long as I serve as your Sheriff, you can rest assured that we will continue to do everything in our power to stop the flow of drugs into our communities.” Chief of Narcotics Robert Terral said more arrests are expected as part of “Operation Option Three, Phase 2” in the coming days. “We still have several warrants that we were unable to serve last Thursday, but they will be served as the individuals are located,” Terral said. “The narcotic division of your sheriff’s office is vigilant in its efforts to locate and identify drug dealers and users and to make cases against them.”

The following people were arrested during “Operation Option Three, Phase 2” last week:

Jennifer Arnold, 25, of Grayson, charged with distribution of CDS II – meth, 2 counts.

Michael Ashmore, 51, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS IV, Darvocet.

Laci Baker, 30, of Jena, charged with possession of CDS II, meth.

John “Ryan” Bergeron, 29, of Grayson, charged with distribution of CDS II, meth.

Jessie Dickey, 31, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS I, Methylone, and distribution of legend drug.

George Hailey, 38, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS II, meth, 2 counts.

Matthew “Matt” Hodges, 34, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS II, meth.

Michael Humphries, 49, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS III, Hydrocodone, 2 counts.

Chad LeGrande, 22, of Trout, charged with distribution of CDS I, marijuana.

Charles Turnage, 50, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS III, Hydrocodone, and distribution of CDS III, Hydrocodone in combination with non-narcotic ingredient.

Julia Washington, 44, of Jena, charged with distribution of CDS I, marijuana, and distribution of CDS III, Hydrocodone.

A raid on a residence at 1508 Front Street in Olla on Monday, February 28, 2011, led to the seizure of an operating clandestine drug lab and the arrest of two Olla men. Jesse Williams, 25, of Olla, was charged with creation of a clandestine lab, possession of CDS II, meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal use of CDS in presence of a minor, manufacture and distribution of CDS II, and resisting an officer, two counts. Jimmie Fletcher, 42, of Olla, was charged with operation of a clandestine lab, possession of CDS II, meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS in presence of a minor.

Narcotic agents with the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office received reliable information earlier Monday that a meth lab was being operated at the location, according to Chief of Narcotics Robert Terral. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and officers formed a plan of action for executing the search warrant. Four officers were assigned to enter the residence and four others would provide perimeter security. The officers arrived at the residence about 7:40 p.m. and executed the search warrant. As they entered bedroom in the north end of the residence, they confronted two men identified as Jimmie Fletcher and Jesse Williams. Officers noticed the men were operating an active meth lab. Fletcher immediately complied with the officer’s commands to get down, but Williams ignored the orders and began to fight officers During the struggle, Williams was able to escape through an open window. Once outside the residence, Williams was ordered to stop or a K-9 would be released. Williams kept running and a K-9 was released and caught up with him a short distance from the residence and apprehended him until officers could get him in custody. Meantime, officers advised Fletcher of his Miranda rights and he was escorted from the residence and placed in a patrol unit. Officers returned to the residence to take a closer look at the meth lab and observed the room filled with a gaseous fog or smoke, presumably from the ‘cook’ that was taking place in the drug lab. The lab consisted of some glass jars containing various liquids and a larger glass jar containing the final stage of the ‘cook’ along with two plastic soda bottles with clear hoses protruding from them. Some coffee filers, lantern fuel, lye, and other chemicals were also present. There were several items of drug paraphernalia along with a small bag of suspected methamphetamines on a mirror on the small table near the bed in the room. A razor blade and red drinking straw along with a white powdery residue were present indicating someone had been snorting this suspected drug, officers said. Other items of drug paraphernalia were located throughout the room and after LPSO officers took photographs of the evidence, the Louisiana State Police Hazardous Materials unit was contacted to dispose of the clandestine lab.

Williams was transported to Hardtner Medical Center in Urania for treatment of dog bite wounds and then transported to the LaSalle Parish Jail in Jena. Fletcher was also transported to the LaSalle Parish Jail for booking. LaSalle Parish Sheriff Scott Franklin, who assisted with the raid, commended the quick action of his narcotic officers after learning the meth lab was in operation. “Again, involvement of citizens in providing us information about suspected illegal drug activity, led us to this clandestine lab and the arrest of its operators,” Franklin said. “I commend all the officers involved in this operation and the professional manner in which they conducted themselves,” he said.