Thanks to proactive police work, detectives with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division arrested two high-level drug dealers over the weekend.
At approximately 8 p.m. Friday (March 25) night, detectives with the STPSO Narcotics Division’s Proactive Enforcement Unit observed a driver commit several traffic violations while traveling through the Alton area, and they attempted a traffic stop.
The driver, who was later identified as Warren Patterson (DOB 7/19/1984) of Pearl River, led the detectives on a slow-speed pursuit onto Son Moore Road, where he eventually abandoned his vehicle and fled into the wood line.
STPSO detectives gave chase into the woods, at which point Patterson was observed removing a firearm from his waistband and discarding it onto the ground in front of him. While detectives were attempting to take him into custody, Patterson continued to be physically resistant and fought the detectives. After a struggle, he was taken into custody and escorted out of the woods.
During a search of Patterson’s vehicle, detectives located approximately 57.1 grams of suspected cocaine (both powder and crack), a digital scale and $2,158 believed to be the proceeds from narcotics sales.
Patterson was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center for the following offenses:
L.R.S.14:95E Possession of a Firearm in the Presence of a CDS
L.R.S 40:967AC Possession with the Intent to Distribute Schedule II CDS (Cocaine)
L.R.S.14:108.2 Resisting with Force or Violence
L.R.S.40:1041 Proceeds Relevant to a Drug Transaction
L.R.S.14:108 Resisting an Officer
L.R.S.40:1023 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
L.R.S.14:130.1 Obstruction of Justice
L.R.S.32:52 Driver must be Licensed
L.R.S.32:104 Failure to use a Turn Signal (two counts)
Shortly after midnight Saturday (March 26) morning, detectives with the STPSO Narcotics Division’s Proactive Enforcement Unit were conducting extra patrols of the Slidell area hotels and motels when they observed a suspicious vehicle backed into a parking space.
The vehicle was occupied by the driver, Corey Mitchell (10/19/1984) of New Orleans, and his four-year-old child. As they approached the vehicle, detectives observed narcotics in plain view, and a search ensued.
While searching the vehicle, detectives recovered approximately 229.8 grams of suspected MDMA, 3 suspected tablets of LSD, 2.5 tablets of suspected tramadol, approximately 1 gram of suspected THC wax, approximately 5.7 grams of suspected marijuana, a digital scale and multiple empty bags.
Mitchell was arrested and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center for the following offenses:
L.R.S. 40:966AC Possession with the Intent to distribute Schedule I CDS (MDMA)
L.R.S. 40:966C Possession of Schedule I CDS (LSD)
L.R.S. 40:969C Possession of Schedule IV CDS (Tramadol)
L.R.S. 14:92 Contributing to the Delinquency of a Juvenile
L.R.S. 40:966C Possession of Schedule I CDS (THC wax)
L.R.S. 40:1023 Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
L.R.S. 40:966C Possession of Schedule I CDS (Marijuana)
Mitchell’s young child was released into the custody of his mother.
“This is another example of how proactive policing results in criminals being arrested and drugs being taken off our streets,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “I applaud the detectives of our Narcotic’s Division who work proactively to identify and arrests individuals who are dealing drugs in our community.”