A lengthy drug investigation in the Bogalusa area has resulted in the arrest of eight men who have been identified as key players in heroin trafficking, according to Chief Deputy Mike Haley of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The WPSO Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bogalusa Police Department and the Louisiana Office of Probation and Parole, Haley said.

The heroin epidemic has impacted Washington Parish in a very large way, including an unusually large amount of heroin overdoses and deaths. As of Aug. 6, 2017, Louisiana drug overdose deaths increased by 14 percent from the previous year, for a total of 1,015 drug overdose deaths in Louisiana, Haley said.

The leading number of those deaths resulted from heroin overdose. The lengthy investigation was aided by information provided by concerned citizens and required the team effort of several law enforcement agencies.

Haley said that the following eight men were arrested over the past several months on state charges, and federal charges are being considered:

• Brandon M. Brister, 35, a resident of Bankston Drive in Bogalusa. Brister was arrested Nov. 2, 2017, and is charged with conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to distribute, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of stolen property. He remains in jail with his bond set at $350,000. This is Brister’s 10th time in the Washington Parish Jail since 2007, on charges including battery, false imprisonment, carjacking, theft of a firearm and various narcotics charges.
• Fernando Brister, 28, a resident of Davis Street in Bogalusa. He was arrested May 25, 2017, and is charged with distribution of Schedule I drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs, eleven counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs and possession with intent to distribute Schedule III drugs. He remains in jail with his bond set at $375,000. Brister’s previous arrest in 2010 was for distribution of Schedule II drugs.
• Jashma Lavar Crumedy, 28, a resident of Columbia Station in Bogalusa. Crumedy was arrested June 6, 2017, and is charged with distribution of Schedule I drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains in jail with his bond set at $102,000. This is Crumedy’s seventh stay in the Washington Parish Jail. Previous arrests were on charges including manufacture of Schedule II drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule I and Schedule II drugs, possession of stolen property and failure to appear in court.
• Darius J. Dobson, 23, a resident of Blueberry Drive in Bogalusa. Dobson was arrested Oct. 2, 2017, and is charged with possession with intent to distribute Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule III and Schedule IV drugs, possession of controlled dangerous substances with a weapon present and possession of Schedule V drugs. He remains in jail with his bond set at $500,000. Dobson’s previous arrest was in February 2017 on narcotics charges, failure to appear in court and contempt of court.
• Markus Kortez Mark, a resident of Jones Creek Road in Angie. Mark was arrested Oct. 2, 2017, and transferred to another facility on Nov. 27, 2017, where he awaits trial with his bond set at $500,000. His charges are distribution of Schedule I drugs, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to appear in court, two counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs and possession with intent to distribute Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV and Schedule V drugs. Mark has a previous 2015 jail stay for domestic violence.
• Alex Jerrob Miller, 36, also a resident of Blueberry Drive in Bogalusa. Miller was arrested Nov. 20, 2017, charged with distribution of Schedule I drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule III drugs, possession of a stolen firearm, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with a weapon present. In addition he had four arrest warrants. He remains in jail with his bond set at $673,659. His three previous stays in the Washington Parish Jail were for charges including cruelty to animals and distribution of Schedule I drugs.
• David Bernard Miller, 33, a resident of Davis Street in Bogalusa. Miller was arrested Oct. 10, 2017, charged with distribution of Schedule I drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs, possession of Schedule V drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains in jail with his bond set at $200,000. Miller has two previous stays in the Washington Parish Jail for charges including aggravated robbery, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
• Michael Miller, 30, a resident of North Roosevelt Street in Bogalusa. Miller was arrested Oct. 5, 2017, charged with three counts of distribution of Schedule I drugs, two counts of distribution of Schedule II drugs, possession with intent to distribute Schedule III drugs, possession of marijuana, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of failure to appear in court. He remains in jail with his bond set at $610,500. Miller’s three previous stays in the Washington Parish Jail were for charges including possession of marijuana, convicted felon in possession of a firearm and attempted second-degree murder.

Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal commended all officers involved in the investigation that led to the arrests of the eight men.

“Drug investigations like this are complicated and take time,” Seal said. “Our officers, along with DEA and State Police narcotics agents, spent countless hours putting together evidence for each of these arrests. Their hard work paid off, resulting in the arrests of primary drug dealers in the Bogalusa area.

“I commend each of them and extend my gratitude to each agency that provided manpower and support for this successful anti-drug operation.”