Six arrested, pounds of drugs recovered after St. Tammany Parish drug busts

SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) — Six people were arrested, and pounds of drugs were recovered in separate drug bust cases in St. Tammany Parish.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith said the first bust happened on June 7 when detectives carried out a search warrant on a Talisheek home on Boyd Davis Road. The search led to the discovery of 5.6 grams of methamphetamine, an assortment of drug paraphernalia, 13 morphine sulfate pills, and five unlawfully possessed firearms.

As a result of the investigation, Smith said 40-year-old Dustin Talley and 29-year-old Tyler Rendon were arrested on charges of possession of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine), possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Smith said 23-year-old Hailey Carter and 29-year-old Morgan Stratton were also arrested on charges of possession of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Stratton faces a separate charge of possession of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance for the morphine pills.

The end of a separate two-month-long investigation came on June 8 after narcotics detectives executed a search warrant on a Slidell home on East Suncrest Loop and found thousands of grams of illegal substances.

During a search of the home, detectives allegedly discovered:

• approximately 2329 grams of suspected marijuana
• approximately 2255 grams of suspected THC cartridge pens
• approximately 58 grams of suspected THC resin
• approximately 17 grams of suspected THC capsules
• approximately 1977 grams of suspected THC wax
• approximately 2656 grams of suspected THC edibles
• an assortment of drug paraphernalia associated with the packaging and sale of marijuana
• Cash totaling $146,850 is believed to be from drug sales
• a jet ski and a dirt bike believed to have been purchased with proceeds

Further investigation revealed a one-year-old child was living in the home while the drugs were present and being sold, according to deputies.

As a result, deputies arrested 24-year-old Blake Jackson and 23-year-old Haley Richmond on charges of possession with the Intent to distribute a schedule I controlled dangerous substance, transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, illegal carrying of weapons, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of persons under seventeen years of age.

That same day, detectives arrested 27-year-old Tracy Strickland on suspicions that he was distributing illegal drugs. An arrest warrant was obtained for his Joseph Street home in Slidell where they allegedly found 25 alprazolam tablets, 233 possibly counterfeit oxycodone tablets believed to contain fentanyl, a half ounce of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and an unlawfully possessed handgun.

Stricklan was taken into custody and charged with possession with the intent to distribute a schedule I controlled dangerous substance, possession with the intent to distribute a schedule II controlled dangerous substance, possession with the intent to distribute a schedule IV controlled dangerous substance, possession of a schedule I controlled dangerous substance, illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies and possession of drug paraphernalia.

They were all booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.

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