100 Ecstasy tablets seized in traffic stop and Marrero man arrested; Man stopped in vehicle reported stolen

A Marrero man who was stopped for driving in Chalmette at 1:20 a.m. with his headlights off was found to have about 100 tablets of MDMA, or Ecstasy, worth $2,500 in the vehicle, most in a plastic bag and some loose on the passenger side floorboard, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Christopher Ross, 29, was headed eastbound July 12 when Cpl. Lee Morgan of the sheriff’s Narcotics Unit saw him driving without headlights on at 1:20 a.m., and as he stopped him Ross was reaching for something on the passenger side floorboard, Pohlmann said.

When the driver ignored initial commands to show his hands, the officer opened the unlocked driver’s side door and ordered Ross from the vehicle but Ross ignored him and a struggle followed, Pohlmann said.

After Ross was subdued, Morgan performed a pat down for officer’s safety and found a wad of cash totaling $790 in his left, front pocket.

Cpl. Morgan also saw several multi-colored tablets on the passenger side floorboard.

Assisting sheriff’s deputies arrived and found a plastic bag protruding from behind the center console and it contained about 100 similar multi-color tablets, along with four tablets on the floorboard, Pohlmann said.

A preliminary field test showed a positive indication for the drug Ecstasy.

Ross was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison with possession with intent to distribute MDMA, with resisting an officer and with the traffic violations.

There was no bond information available.

In a separate matter, a New Orleans man was booked with possession of stolen property and with possession of marijuana when he was stopped in Chalmette on July 9 while driving a vehicle reported stolen, Pohlmann said.

Russell Veals, 32, was stopped by Dep. Clayten Burns on West Judge Perez Drive just after 11:30 p.m.

When booked into St. Bernard Prison, Veals was found to have a ball of paper containing a small amount of marijuana and he was booked on that charge as well as possession of the stolen vehicle, Pohlmann said.