Lorenzo Porter

Juanita Porter

On Friday, July 29, 2016 the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division detectives arrested Lorenzo Porter, 31, and his girlfriend Juanita Joseph, 39, at their residence, 1047 Balsam Street in LaPlace. The arrests were made without incident.

Porter was charged with illegal possession of a stolen firearm, possession of firearm/ carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon, illegal carrying of a weapon with a controlled dangerous substance,possession with intent to distribute marijuana, distribution of MDMA, possession with intent to distribute tramadol, possession of hydrocodone, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, sale, distribution or possession of legend drug without a prescription and possession or distribution of drug paraphernalia.

Joseph was charged with possession with intent to distribute MDMA, possession with intent to distribute tramadol, possession of hydrocodone, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, sale, distribution or possession of legend drug without a prescription, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, illegal carrying of weapon with controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession or distribution of drug paraphernalia, and contempt of court.

Through an investigation, the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division discovered that Porter was using the residence to store and distribute marijuana and cocaine and was in possession of firearms inside of the residence. A computer check revealed that Porter is a convicted felon, and Joseph had an outstanding warrant. Detectives obtained a court ordered narcotics search and seizure warrant July 29 and made the arrests.

During the search of the residence, detectives seized about 580 grams of marijuana, one 40 Caliber Smith & Wesson handgun that was reported and confirmed stolen through the NCIC Database, two digital scales, two sandwich bags boxes, about eight ounces of promethazine, about two grams of methamphetamine, two hydrocodone tablets, about 74 tramadol tablets, about 91 MDMA tablets, about 700 grams of synthetic marijuana, and about $900 in cash.