[StBernard] Couple arrested in Chalmette on heroin-distribution charges

[Westley Annis]

Couple arrested in Chalmette on heroin-distribution charges
Posted by St. Bernard bureau June 29, 2007 11:36AM
St. Bernard bureau

A St. Bernard Parish couple has been booked in connection with a heroin
distribution operation from their Chalmette trailer, authorities said. 


Dale Thomas Battaglia Jr., 23, and Leslie Falyn, 25, were arrested Tuesday
on multiple drug charges after surveillance and a search of their residence,
a FEMA trailer, at 8267 Patricia St., said Maj. Chad Clark of the St.
Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office. 


Clark said investigators received a tip from a confidential source that
heroin was being sold at the residence. Investigators watching the residence
noticed a heavy amount of traffic to and from the trailer and stopped
several vehicles leaving the area. Clark said no drugs were found on any of
the occupants of those vehicles, but investigators noticed a number of them
had track marks on their arms from where they had apparently injected drugs.


As the Sheriff's Office was seeking a search warrant for the home,
investigators saw Battaglia and Falyn leave the residence and pulled over
their vehicle, Clark said. Falyn was apprehended on an outstanding arrest
warrant and Battaglia took off on foot. 


After a brief chase he was caught. Deputies executed a search warrant of the
trailer and found 13.3 grams of heroin worth around $3,300 on the street,
Clark said. Clark said buyers would go the residence to purchase heroin but
Battaglia would make them inject it in his presence, "so nobody would rat
him out.'' 

Battaglia was booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin,
possession of methadone, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest
and probation violation. He remains in the St. Bernard Correctional Facility
on $115,600 bond, Clark said. 

Falyn was booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin,
possession of methadone, possession of drug paraphernalia and outstanding
arrest warrants for forgery and traffic violations. She remains in custody
on $66,000 bond, Clark said. 

St. Bernard deputies made another heroin distribution-related arrest
Thursday, Clark said. 

Acting on a tip, undercover deputies set up a heroin buy from Sheldon
Thompson, 48, of 4420 Lonely Oaks Drive, New Orleans. Agents bought eight
$50 bags of heroin from Thompson, Clark said. 

When they tried to arrest him, he fled and was caught after a brief chase on
Paris Road. During the chase, Clark said Thompson tossed six other $50 bags
of heroin from his vehicle. 

He was booked with distribution of heroin, possesion with intent to
distribute heroin, flight from an officer, resisting arrest and obstruction
of justice, Clark said. Thompson remains in custody; bond information was
not available.