BPD: Burglary investigation leads to drug, gun charges
Published 12:45 pm Friday, June 29, 2018
Investigation of a recent burglary eventually led to the arrest of a Bogalusa man on numerous drug- and gun-related charges, according to Maj. Percy Knight of the Bogalusa Police Department.
Knight said that on Wednesday, the BPD Detective Division was investigating information that stolen property taken from a burglary of a vacant building in the 800 block of Avenue F was at a residence in the 700 block of Avenue B.
BPD Detectives drove past the rear of the residence and observed, in plain view, a stand up air compressor with a neon green hose in the bed of a pickup truck that matched the description of an air compressor that had been reported stolen, Knight said.
Based on the detectives’ observation, a search warrant was obtained for the residence.
Knight said that the BPD Detective Division and Criminal Patrol Division, along with the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, executed the search warrant. As the officers arrived, the suspect, identified as Shawn Fox, 42, of Bogalusa, was getting in his vehicle and Fox was placed under arrest, Knight said.
A search of the interior of Fox’s vehicle was conducted, and officers located a hammer drill that was reportedly stolen during the burglary. Also located in the vehicle was a .38-caliber handgun, Knight said.
A search of the residence was conducted and officers observed narcotics in plain view. A second search warrant was then obtained for the search of narcotics inside the residence.
“In one of the bedrooms of the residence, officers located a metal box in the closet that contained approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine, numerous Gabapentin tablets, and several small baggies that contained drug residue,” Knight said. “Located within the dresser drawers were 10 digital scales, several packages and bundles of baggies commonly used to package narcotics for street level sales, two used glass meth pipes, a jar of unidentified white powdery substance, one zip-lock bag containing disposable gloves, one packet of single-sided razors commonly used to cut and process narcotics for street sales, a plastic bag with a powdery residue believed to be heroin, and a box of sandwich bags commonly used to package narcotics.”
Knight said that officers also found and recovered a 9-millimeter handgun with an obliterated serial number, a .22-caliber handgun, a .38-caliber handgun, a jar of empty capsules commonly used to package narcotics, and a pill bottle that contained Suboxone Sublingual Films.
Other property was also recovered in the residence, although officers are still unsure if it was stolen or not, Knight said.
Fox was booked and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, illegal carrying of weapons, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute legend drugs, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule II narcotics.
“The recovered property from the burglary was returned to the owner,” Knight said. “This matter is still under investigation and more arrests are expected.
“This was a job well done by the BPD Detective Division, commanded by Capt. Wendell O’Berry, and with the help of BPD Patrol Shift ‘C,’ commanded by Capt. D. Ray Phelps.”