WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD)— On Wednesday, May 25, the Metro Narcotics Unit received information indicating drugs were being sold at a residence in the 700 block of Smith Street in West Monroe. Agents began conducting surveillance at the said residence and observed Paul Lewis, 49, leave in a blue Hyundai.
Ouachita Parish Patrol Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle for multiple traffic offenses. During the traffic stop, OPSO deputies were given consent to search the vehicle. At that time, approximately six Ecstasy tablets were found in a white bottle.
Lewis said the drugs were not his and he did not know where they came from. He was arrested and transported to the Ouachita Correctional Center.
According to the arrest report, agents went back to the residence to conduct a knock and talk investigation at which time agents detected an odor of marijuana when they made contact with the homeowner Francessica Rodgers, 44, at the front door.
A search warrant was obtained for the residence. During the search, agents found the following:
- Approximately 26 one-pint bottles containing Promethazine (8 of which contained codeine)
- Approximately 13.7 pounds of Ecstasy
- Seven ounces of Lortabs
- 11.4 ounces of Oxycodone tablets
- 92 pounds of Methamphetamine
- seven ounces of Crack Cocaine
- two ounces of white powder
- one ounce of marijuana
- and approximately eight Xanax tablets.
Rodgers advised authorities that she had no knowledge of the drugs being in the residence other than the marijuana. She told officers the marijuana belong to her and it was for personal use, but everything else belongs to Lewis.
Two witnesses at the residence told agents they saw Lewis enter the residence the day prior with a backpack and lunch box that contained a large portion of the drugs located inside the home.
Rodgers was booked into OCC on 1 count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of marijuana. Her bond is $750.
Lewis is being charged with the following:
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Promethazine with Codeine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Ecstasy
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Lortab
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Oxycodone
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Xanax
Lewis’s bond has not yet been set.