Patrol arrest finds drugs - Picayune Item

PICAYUNE — Two suspects were arrested for drug related charges by a Picayune Police officer Halloween night.

An officer patrolling in the area of Fourth Street and North Monroe Avenue noticed an individual in the area who may have known something about a shots being fired into a home on Sixth Avenue that same night, said Jeremy Magri, Administrative Assistant to the Chief.

The officer also saw suspicious activity that involved a vehicle appearing to pull out of the driveway, but pulled back in upon seeing the patrol vehicle, Magri said. The officer circled the block to find that the vehicle pulling out of the driveway had left the scene, but the person of interest was still in the area, Magri said.

Magri said when the officer got out of his patrol vehicle, the person of interest, 22-year-old Joshua Hart of 904 E. Eighth St., was sitting in the passenger side of a vehicle parked in the area. Upon seeing the officer, Hart got out of the vehicle and began to walk away, but the officer asked him to stop, which he did, Magri said. The driver, 22-year-old Marquise Spanks of 824 Fourth St., also got out of the vehicle and  began to walk away, but did not comply with the officer's requests to stop, Magri said. Instead, Spanks continued to walk towards a nearby house as though to enter the home, but the officer was able to detain him for questioning, Magri said.

During questioning Spanks gave the officer false identifying information but later admitted to his true identity, Magri said. Spanks was detained on the charge of false identifying information and Hart was held on scene as well for investigative questioning, Magri said.

A visual inspection of the vehicle found two prescription bottles with no names containing a clear liquid, some loose marijuana and crack cocaine inside the vehicle, along with a loaded .40 caliber Ruger handgun, Magri said. Spanks and Hart were searched and the officer found $273 in Spanks' pocket, which was seized because it was suspected of having been obtained through illegal means, Magri said.

Spanks was charged with false identifying information, possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, felony possession of a controlled substance (crack) with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm, Magri said. Hart was charged with possession of marijuana and felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm, Magri said.