[StBernard] Focus on trailer leads to St. Bernard busts

[Westley Annis]

Focus on trailer leads to St. Bernard busts
Heroin, pot, 3 suspects netted in investigation 
Thursday, August 10, 2006
St. Bernard bureau

Surveillance of suspected drug activity from a trailer in Chalmette has led
to the arrests of three St. Bernard Parish men, authorities said. 

Sheriff's deputies in St. Bernard Parish had developed information that
Jeffrey Roberts Jr. had been selling marijuana and heroin from a FEMA
trailer on East Judge Perez Drive. While watching the trailer Tuesday,
deputies noticed a man drive up, go inside for a few moments and then leave,
said Capt. Chad Clark, commander of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office
Narcotics Division. 

Deputies stopped the vehicle driven by Clifford Johnson and found him in
possession of an ounce of marijuana. Johnson told investigators Roberts had
sold him the drugs. 

 
Clark said investigators then went to Roberts' trailer and asked for
permission to search it. He consented and investigators found 3 pounds of
marijuana and 4 grams of heroin. The heroin was hidden inside silicone
caulking tubes, Clark said. 

Initially Clark didn't want to answer questions, but at one point told
investigators that he had sold 2 pounds of marijuana Monday to Beau
Battaglia. 

Deputies searching Battaglia's Chalmette trailer Tuesday night found 562
grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a .40-caliber handgun, Clark
said. 

Roberts, 25, of 3800 E. Judge Perez Drive, Unit F4, was booked with
distribution of an ounce of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute
3 pounds of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 4 grams of
heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Johnson, 20, of 2610 Myrtle Grove, Lot 85, Meraux, was booked with
possession of an ounce of marijuana. 

Battaglia, 21, 7620 W. Judge Perez Drive, was booked with possession with
intent to distribute 562 grams of marijuana, possession of a firearm while
in possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Bond information was not available. 

The investigation is continuing, Clark said.