[StBernard] St. Bernard deputies arrest 10 in heroin bust

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard deputies arrest 10 in heroin bust

Updated: Dec 17, 2012 7:42 PM CST
Contributor: FOX8Live.com Staff
 

Marvin Richards, Kendell Harris and Ulysses Duplessis (SBPSO photos)
FOX 8 News received this press release from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's
Office Monday evening:

A heroin ring which sold in amounts as large as an ounce for several
thousand dollars has been broken up by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's
Office with the arrests of the three top men and seven others who tried to
buy from them, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

The Special Investigations Division, commanded by Maj. Chad Clark, with
cooperation from the Patrol Division headed by Maj. Adolph Kreger, made the
arrests Dec. 10 after a three-month undercover operation, which was revealed
Monday.

Marvin Richards, 37, Marietta St., Chalmette, identified as the leader of
the group, has two prior drug convictions for which he served time in
prison, has 10 prior drug arrests and is currently on active probation,
Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Richards and Kendell Harris, 26, Ventura Drive, Chalmette, who has three
prior drug convictions and 12 prior drug arrests, and Ulysses Duplessis, 36,
Louis Elam St., Violet, currently out on bond for an arrest in St. Bernard
for heroin distribution and has four prior drug arrests, were arrested.

They were all booked with possession of heroin with intent to distribute the
drug and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Some 11 grams of
heroin worth more than $1,100 and 1.5 grams of cocaine worth about $150 were
seized when they were arrested in a vehicle in Chalmette, Sheriff Pohlmann
said.

Richards is being held without bond in the St. Bernard Parish Prison on a
probation hold. Bond information for Harris and Duplessis wasn't available.

After those arrests, seven others who tried to buy heroin from them were
arrested and booked with attempted possession of the drug. Booked were Louis
Melerine, 34, and Percill Bienemy, 35, both of Violet; Jason Douglas, 36,
Steven Treadaway, 34, Michael Boudreaux, 28, and Daniel Fleetwood, 57, all
of Chalmette, and Eric Treadaway, 50, of Harahan.

Narcotics agents are continuing to try to identify others who have bought
from the three in the past. Anyone with information about others involved in
the heroin ring or its buyers should call the St. Bernard Sheriff's
Narcotics Unit at (504) 271-DOPE and they can leave an anonymous message.

Call the 271-DOPE hotline to report any narcotics activity you believe is
happening in St. Bernard Parish and it will be investigated.