ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 26, 2000

RESERVE – Months of undercover work by narcotics officers in the St. Johnthe Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office have led to 11 arrests and the shutdown of two major distribution points of crack cocaine and marijuana in Reserve.

The first raid began at 3:30 Friday afternoon. Deputies armed with awarrant for the arrest of Eddie Joseph, 39, of 130 W. 14th St., Reserve,raided Joseph’s house and arrested him for distribution of cocaine.

With a search warrant in hand, deputies found an undisclosed amount of marijuana and five other people, all arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Joseph was also charged withpossession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Also arrested and charged were Ronnie Singleton, 20, 130 W. 14th St.,Reserve, four counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and contempt of court; John Murry, 21 127 N.W. 18th St., Reserve, distribution of cocaine and possession withintent to distribute marijuana; Jenny Guidry, 23, 130 W. 14th, Reserve,possession with intent to distribute marijuana and probation violation; Christina Ruiz, 18, 100 Bedford Drive, LaPlace, possession with intent to distribute marijuana; Howard King, 19, 1616 Williamsburg Drive, LaPlace, possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and Charles Murry, 22, 1200 Taft Park, Metairie, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and carrying a concealed weapon.

All are being held in St. John Parish jail on bonds ranging from $145,000to $20,000.

Capt. Octavio Gonzalez, head of the St. John Sheriff’s Narcotic Division,said Joseph, Singleton and John Murry were the three main players in the drug ring.

Surveillance of Joseph’s house began in April, and Gonzalez had several undercover officers make drug purchases from Joseph at his house.

“There was constant drug activity at the house,” said Gonzalez. “He wasrunning a very profitable operation for crack cocaine and marijuana.”Deputies also have a seizure warrant to take the house and all of its property from Joseph. The house will be put up for public auctionsometime in the future.

Gonzalez said Joseph has an extensive drug arrest record. In fact, he wentto trial Tuesday on another unrelated drug charge. Guidry also has a longlist of drug arrests and is facing an additional charge of probation violation.

An hour and a half after the first raid St. John Parish deputies descendedon the house of Burnell Perrilloux, 24, 114 E. 30th St. Reserve.Police discovered Perrilloux in possession of an undetermined amount of crack cocaine, and he was charged with three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of contempt of court and distribution of cocaine in a drug-free zone, as Perrilloux’s house is next to Our Lady of Grace.

If found guilty Perrilloux’s sentence will be extended by half of the sentence for possession because he sold drugs near a school. For instance,if he is sentenced to 10 years for selling cocaine, he will have five years tacked on to his sentence for selling drugs near a school.

Each count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a sentence of five to 30 years.

Also arrested in Perrilloux’s house were Garrett Walter, 25, 114 E. 30thSt., Reserve, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessionof stolen property; Derrick Johnson, 21, 211 E. 30th St., Reserve,possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and Darryl Jones, 20, possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

They are all being held in St. John Parish jail under bonds ranging from$100,000 to $20,000.

The bust of Perrilloux’s crack cocaine operation was also an on-going undercover investigation that goes back to the latter part of 1999. Again,St. John undercover officers made drug purchases at the house over themonths building a case against Perrilloux.

According to Gonzalez, Perrilloux has a prior record of drug arrests and will probably get a very stiff sentence for selling drugs in a drug-free zone.

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