Narcotics Investigation Leads to Ten Arrests

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives received information and conducted an investigation that led to the execution of two judicial court authorized search warrants on Tuesday, January 5.

        The first search warrant was executed at 1:16 pm at a residence in the 100 block of Oak Fern Court in LaPlace.  Detectives recovered approximately 100,000 pills of alprazolam, the trade name Xanax, and packaging for distribution throughout the United States.  Detectives arrested Matthew Helms, 23, and Megan De St.Germaine, 26.  Helms and De St Germaine who live at the residence were home when detectives executed the search warrant.

        The second search warrant was executed at 1:52 pm at a residence in the 500 block of Walnut Street in LaPlace.  Detectives recovered over 10,400 doses of alprazplam and packaging for distribution.  Detectives arrested Brandon Zar, 24.  Zar who lives at the residence was home when detectives executed the search warrant.

Over the course of the investigation, detective recovered over 220,000 pills with a street value of 1.1 million dollars.


       Based on the development of the investigation, detectives obtained judicial court ordered arrest warrants for six suspects for attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  This investigation is ongoing.
 

Matthew Helms	Matthew Helms was booked with possession with intent to distribute alprazolam, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of suboxone, and possession of marijuana.  He remains in custody in lieu of a $311,500 bond.  Helms was arrested six times in St. John the Baptist Parish since April 2012.
Megan De St Germaine	Megan De St Germaine was booked with possession with intent to distribute alprazolam, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of suboxone, and possession of marijuana.  She remains in custody in lieu of an $83,000 bond.
Brandon Zar	Brandon Zar was booked with possession with intent to distribute alprazolam and possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was released from jail 1/13/2015 on a $51,500 bond.  Zar was arrested five times in St. John the Baptist Parish since November 2010.
Austin Hammond	Austin Hammond, 20, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was released from jail 1/15/2016 on a $53,000 bond.
Courtney Simon	Courtney Simon, 20, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  She was released from jail 1/13/2016 on a $50,000 bond.
Joshua Sutton	Joshua Sutton, 23, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  He remains in custody in lieu of a $50,000 bond.
Katie Cahill	Katie Cahill, 22, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  She was released from jail 1/13/2016 on a $50,000 bond.
Michael Keller Jr	Michael Keller Jr, 20, of St. James was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  He was released from jail 1/13/2016 on a $50,000 bond.
Taylor Willis	Taylor Willis, 21, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  She was released from jail 1/14/2016 on a $50,000 bond.
Pamela De St Germaine	Pamela De St Germaine, 51, of LaPlace was booked with attempt or conspire to distribute or possess with intent to distribute schedule IV CDS.  She was released from jail 1/13/2016 on a $10,000 bond.