Calls about suspicious activity lead to seizures of over 4 pounds of marijuana worth $42,000 and, separately, 18 pot plants found growing in a house; 4 arrested

The two men arrested with the marijuana, from left, Bryant Matthews of Chalmette, and Tristan Newsome of California. Photos from drivers’ licenses.

More than four pounds of high-grade marijuana seized in Chalmette, worth $42,000.

Two calls from Chalmette residents about activity they suspected to be burglaries in progress led, instead, to separate seizures of more than four pounds of high-grade marijuana worth $42,000 and nearly $13,000 in cash, and 18 pot plants growing in a house, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“We always encourage people to call us if they see anything that doesn’t look right to them, even if it turns out to be nothing,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“In these two cases residents thought there might be burglaries in progress,’’ the sheriff said, and “through good work by our deputies two major narcotics cases involving high-grade marijuana were made, with four people arrested.’’

Call (504) 271-2501 if you believe anything suspicious is happening, the sheriff said.

Neither case involved a burglary.

In the one with the five pounds of marijuana, a man was seen trying to enter an apartment May 10 in the 8100 block of West St. Bernard Highway that wasn’t his. When a call was made to the Sheriff’s Office by a resident, Sgt. Brandon Licciardi confronted the man, who said he had just moved in recently and was confused about which apartment was his.

When he showed the deputy he lived on the premises by opening a door with a key, Licciardi smelled raw marijuana in the apartment, which led to the discovery of the marijuana and nearly $13,000 cash.

Narcotics Unit officers were alerted and a search warrant was obtained. There was 4.10 pounds of high-grade marijuana concealed in several backpacks, authorities said.

Arrested were Bryant Matthews, 28, Apt. 1303 at 8149 West St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette; and a second man, Tristan Newsome, 26, who said he was visiting Matthews from San Pablo, Calif.

Both were booked with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Matthews, who also has another address in New Orleans, had about $1,500 cash on him and $11,300 cash was found in small denominations in a bag in a kitchen cabinet, authorities said.

Both suspects were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison but have since been released on bond; Matthews on a $60,0000 bond and Newsome on bond of $40,000.

In the case with 18 marijuana plants being cultivated, a resident called the Sheriff’s Office May 12 to say a door was open to a residence on Volpe Drive and thought a burglary might be happening, the sheriff said.

When deputies Byron Shoemaker and Karl Bartholomew arrived at 2100 Volpe Drive, they saw an open back door and saw the house was in disarray, with different items on the floor in a way suggesting there had been a burglary.

The deputies went through the open door to investigate and see if anyone was still inside. Instead of burglars, they found a marijuana grow operation with 18 plants, the sheriff said.

Then, other deputies who came saw the occupant of the residence, Craig Billiot, 27, drive by with a woman passenger. When deputies conducted a traffic stop they smelled raw marijuana in the vehicle and found a small amount, the sheriff said.

Also, the woman, Parris Huffman, 25, was found to have 26 pills of the prescription drug Alprazolam.

Billiot and Huffman, who had both been living at 2100 Volpe Drive, were both booked with cultivation of marijuana – which is a felony – possession of the small amount of marijuana in the vehicle and she was booked additionally with possession of the prescription pills.

They were booked into St. Bernard Prison. No bond information was available.