Two men arrested trying to bring $500 worth of methamphetamine into St. Bernard Parish and separately a man caught breaking into a store

Wade Crawford, left, and Mitchell Moody, both booked with meth in St. Bernard Parish

Irvin Secrest, caught in act of burglaring a store in St. Bernard

Two men, one from Chalmette and the other from Picayune, Ms., were caught trying to bring $500 worth of methamphetamine into St. Bernard Parish, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Separately, a sheriff’s deputy spotted a man trying to break into a store in eastern St. Bernard Tuesday night, Feb. 19, and chased him into a wooded area to arrest him, the sheriff said.

Wade Crawford, 34, 2401 Jean Lafitte Parkway, Chalmette, and Mitchell Moody, 32, of Picayune, were booked Feb. 15 with possession of 5.2 grams of meth, worth $100 per gram or just over $500, with intent to distribute.

Both were being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

The men were stopped about mid-day as they drove into the parish from New Orleans after Crawford, who was driving, nearly rear-ended another vehicle, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Moody, the passenger, was holding an open alcohol container, a 24-ounce can of beer.

Agents Lance Kramer, Lt. Chip Englande and Lt. Richard Jackson, all of the Narcotics Unit commanded by Maj. Chad Clark, questioned the men out of their vehicle and while doing so a clear plastic bag containing the meth fell to the ground between both suspects, the sheriff said.

The drug was in several small bags containing a glass-like substance which tested positive for meth. Both men denied ownership. Two syringes were also found in their vehicle.

Moody, who has a previous drug conviction, and Crawford were booked with possession of meth with intent to distribute and with possession of drug paraphernalia. Crawford was also booked with not having a driver’s license and Moody with having an open alcohol container and with resisting arrest.

Separately, Irvin Secrest, 26, 45 Randazzo Drive in eastern St. Bernard, was found Tuesday night trying to break into a store that was closed and was booked with attempted burglary, Sheriff Pohlmann said. He was jailed pending an appearance before a judge to have bond set.

Dep. Leander Morgan, responding to a burglary alarm at a store on Bayou Road in eastern St. Bernard, saw a subject striking a door with a crowbar and the man ran.

Morgan located Secrest trying to hide behind a tree stump in a patch of woods. The crowbar and other tools were found outside the store.