Four arrested in St. Landry Parish jail drug conspiracy

OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) -- Four people have been arrested in connection with allegedly smuggling drugs into the St. Landry Parish jail, authorities said.

Two of the four arrested were inmates of the jail.

According to St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz, a parish corrections deputy assisted in the arrests by pretending to be willing to help bring a large amount of synthetic marijuana into the jail.

The four arrested were:

• Pamela Arvie, 41, of Ville Platte. She is charged with transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, principal to distribution of Schedule I drugs (synthetic marijuana) and conspiracy to enter contraband into a penal institution. Arvie is being held without bond.
• Laudarren Jones, 34, of Carencro. He is charged with transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, principal to distribution of Schedule I drugs (synthetic marijuana) and conspiracy to enter contraband into a penal institution. Jones is being held on $60,000 bond.
• Kirby Levier, 39, of Opelousas. He is charged with principal to distribution of Schedule I drugs (synthetic marijuana) and conspiracy to enter contraband into a penal institution. Levier is currently incarcerated.
• Kevin Lemons, 38, of Ville Platte. He is charged with principal to distribution of Schedule I drugs (synthetic marijuana) and conspiracy to enter contraband into a penal institution. Lemons is currently incarcerated.

Guidroz said the arrests are the result of an undercover operation at the Racetrac Gas Station, located at 1018 E. Landry St. in Opelousas. 

"The operation commenced after St. Landry Parish Jail inmate Kirby Levier approached a corrections deputy and asked the deputy to assist him with bringing in a large amount of MOJO paper (synthetic marijuana) into the St. Landry Parish Jail," Guidroz said. "Inmate Levier instructed the deputy to meet with an unknown suspect at the Racetrac, pick up several sheets of MOJO paper, and sneak it into the jail."

In exchange for bringing the drugs into the jail, the deputy was to receive $2,000 in cash, Guidroz said.

The deputy went along with the plan, and met a man, later identified as Jones, at the Racetrac where narcotics detectives were watching from the parking lot. Authorities said the deputy approached Jones' vehicle and Jones handed the deputy one small grocery bag containing a large amount of synthetic marijuana and $1,000.

Detectives then initiated a traffic stop of Jones, who was immediately taken into custody.

Investigators said additional suspects were identified as Lemons and Arvie, and arrest warrants were obtained. Arvie was arrested Monday outside the St. Landry Parish Courthouse, authorities said.

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity is encouraged to call the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Drug Hotline at 337-948-0970 or 948-1030. All callers remain anonymous and the information is kept strictly confidential.  

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