Street crime arrests pileup

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By Harlan Kirgan
Editor
The arrests are piling up for Eunice Police who are combatting a summer wave of shootings, vehicle thefts and burglaries, which they say stem from drug trafficking.
Once identified a target in a June 6 shooting, Dustin “Goldmouth” Johnson, 30, 100 block of East Ardoin Street, Eunice, was arrested on several charges on Wednesday.
Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot said a tip was received that someone was parked near Central Middle School trying to sell marijuana.
An officer found Johnson and the smell of marijuana around a car, he said.
Johnson attempted to swallow some marijuana and also to flee on foot, he said.
As he was being processed into the jail marijuana was found in Johnson’s anal cavity, Fontenot said.
Among the charges Johnson faces are possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, violation of drug-free zone parking, blocking roadway, money laundering, transactions involving drug proceeds and resisting an officer.
Fontenot said Johnson was in a car on June 6 with Christie Cortina Johnson near Golden Seafood on East Maple Avenue when it was targeted by Jamie Ned, 17, also known as Jamie Freeman, of North Cane Street, Eunice.
Ned is accused of wounding a 7-year-old boy in the shooting and later wounding two men, Clarence Mitchell, 29, and Travis Mitchell, 30, of Eunice, in a separate incident in the 200 block of Minerva Street.
Ned was arrested on five charges of attempted first-degree murder.
Fontenot said drug trafficking is at the root of the problem that resulted in the shootings.
On June 19, Brycelyn Ray Anderson, 17, was arrested for attempted second-degree murder in connection with the June 6 shooting.
Eunice Police along with Louisiana State Police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of South Mallet Street at about 5 a.m. Monday to serve an arrest warrant on Anderson.
The arrest warrant is for the attempted second-degree murder of Travis Mitchell, 30, a victim of a shooting in front of 511 S. Mallet St., Fontenot said.
Also caught up in the search was Germario Joseph, 19, of 511 S. Mallet St., for the charge of possession of marijuana. Joseph was found with marijuana during the search, Fontenot said.
Fontenot said Joseph has been linked to a robbery that occurred on April 18.
Also involved in the robbery was Jeremiaho Brian Gallow, 17, 500 block of South Mallet, Eunice, he said.
On May 18 Gallow and a juvenile sot at the victim of the April robbery, he said.
On June 24, Gallow was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder.
The April robbery occurred in the 1700 block of Amazon, he said.