St. John drug squad busts meth lab, little girl’s Christmas made better
Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 30, 2000
LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / December 30, 2000
RESERVE – A tri-agency anti-drug squad broke up a meth lab across the street from Reserve Christian School, making five arrests, and changing a little girl’s Christmas for the better.
Capt. Michael Tregre reported that local complaints led to several months ofsurveillance at 205 Goshen Lane in Reserve. On Dec. 23, at 9 p.m., a squadwhich included St. John Parish sheriff’s deputies and agents from theLouisiana State Police and federal Drug Enforcement Agency swept in and arrested five people: Virginia Bustin, 46, Elizabeth, Ky., possession with intent to distributecocaine, drug-free zone violation and two counts distribution of cocaine; Charlie Maldonado, 38, Cleburne, Texas, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, drug-free zone violation and two counts distribution of cocaine; Larry Eugene Carter, 62, 205 Goshen Lane, Reserve, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, drug-free zone violation and two counts distribution of cocaine; Michael Bunch, 26, 205 Goshen Lane, Reserve, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, drug-free zone violation and distribution of cocaine; Geary P. Bordelon, 45, 205 Goshen Lane, Reserve, possession with intentto distribute cocaine, drug-free zone violation and two counts distribution of cocaine.
Tregre added the lab had a capacity to produce 400 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Bond was set at $100,000 each by 40th Judicial District Judge J. SterlingSnowdy.
However, agents also noted the 8-year-old daughter of one of the defendants and the one present under the house’s small Christmas tree.
Tregre said that several days earlier, a local woman contributed several Christmas presents for deputies to distribute to the needy.
Quickly, a Barbie doll and a bubble-gum machine were selected and given to the girl for Christmas, “so she won’t think the police are bad guys,” according to Tregre.
The child is now living with her mother in another parish. “She understandsthat her dad was doing wrong,” he reported.
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