BPD: 2 arrested in connection with drug bust

Published 9:26 am Thursday, January 20, 2022

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Two residents of Bogalusa were arrested earlier this week after Bogalusa Police Department officers executed a drug bust on a local residence, according to a social media post on the BPD’s Facebook page.

BPD officials said that the BPD’s Violent Crimes Task Force began an investigation in January into illegal drug distribution by Cleon Lotts, 52, of Bogalusa, from a residence in the 1100 block of East Seventh Street in Bogalusa.

After receiving information that Lotts was in possession of a large quantity of illegal narcotics, a search warrant for his residence was obtained. On Tuesday, BPD Task Force Officers, Detectives, and Criminal Patrol Officers executed the search warrant.

Cleon Lotts

Officers located Lotts and Kimberly Owens, 43, of Bogalusa, inside the residence, and both were detained while a search was conducted. Lotts was reportedly emerging from the bathroom when officers entered the residence, and there was evidence that he had flushed an amount of crack cocaine. But the search of the entire residence revealed a variety of illegal narcotics throughout, BPD officials said.

According to the social media post, the following illegal narcotics were seized: an amount of heroin, methamphetamine, crack-cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), three different types of scheduled narcotics, and over five pounds of marijuana. Additionally, $6,333 in U.S. currency — suspected proceeds from the sale of illegal narcotics — was seized.

Lotts was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute MDMA, three counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule III narcotics, two counts of possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV narcotics, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a drug-free zone, transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, obstruction of justice-felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Owens was charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

This is Lotts’ ninth arrest by the BPD, officials said, noting that he is a convicted felon and has prior narcotics history. Lotts was booked into the Bogalusa City Jail and transferred to the Washington Parish Jail.

The case will be forwarded to District Attorney Warren Montgomery’s office for prosecution.

Kimberly Owens