A recent search for a criminal suspect in Washington Parish resulted in the arrest of four additional people, according to Chief Deputy Mike Haley of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

On Thursday morning, WPSO Drug Task Force detectives accompanied Louisiana Probation and Parole agents to locate Fallon Marie Barber, 33, who had violated the terms of her probation, Haley said. Officers first went to an address on Cordy Temples Road, where they believed Barber was staying.

Haley said that Barber was not at that location and the person at that residence, Janice Gerald, was advised not to notify Barber and let her know officers were seeking her. Haley said that when officers eventually located Barber at a residence on Louisiana Highway 424, they learned that she had been alerted by Janice Gerald, 72, and Chasity Nicole Gerald, 39, a resident of R. F. Ball Road, that officers were on their way. The Gerald women are cousins, Haley said.

At the Highway 424 residence, officers also found two men who were arrested for unrelated crimes, Haley said.

Joseph Kennedy, 33, a resident of the Highway 424 residence, was arrested and transported to jail. He was charged with possession of Schedule II drugs, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. As of Friday, he remained in jail with no bond set at the time. Kennedy is familiar with the jail, having been incarcerated there eight previous times since 2007, Haley said.

The other man arrested at the residence was Ladarrius Taboah Carter, 27, a resident of Brock Road, who is wanted by the Marion County (Miss.) Sheriff’s Office, Haley said.

Carter was transported to jail, charged with two counts of possession of Schedule II drugs, possession of marijuana, three counts of failure to appear and being a fugitive. As of Friday, he remained in jail with no bond set at the time. Haley said that Carter was in the jail two times previously since 2007, each time on drug charges.

Barber was also arrested and transported to the Washington Parish Jail, charged with probation violation. As of Friday, she remained in jail with no bond. Haley said that Barber has been in the jail eight previous times since 2010 for various charges, including driving while intoxicated, possession of illegal drugs, cyberstalking and criminal damage to property.

After seeing cell phone evidence that Barber had been notified by the two Gerald women that officers were coming to arrest her, officers then arrested them, Haley said. They were transported to the Washington Parish Jail, with each of them charged with obstruction of justice. Soon after being booked into the jail, both Geralds were released after each posted a $5,000 bond, Haley said.

“This had the potential of being a very dangerous situation for our detectives and the Probation and Parole agents,” Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal said. “The notification that officers were on their way to arrest Barber could have offered her enough notice to flee or even could have offered the opportunity to ambush the officers as they approached the residence. Fortunately, this did not occur.

“I am so grateful that all of the officers were safe. We are always concerned about officer safety and cannot tolerate anyone taking any action to jeopardize their safety.”