Deputies catch two Violet men exiting an abandoned structure and find a tool for opening car doors and a syringe, with other drug evidence found in building

Keithrone Griffin

Kerry Fernandez

Two Violet men were booked with burglary and drug paraphernalia counts after sheriff’s deputies caught them exiting an abandoned structure the night of Jan. 26 and a tool for burglary was found on one man and a syringe on the other, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Also, evidence of heroin use was found in the building that is in the 6400 block of Jules Brown Drive and the men had fresh needles marks on their arms, a report of the arrest said.

Kerry Fernandez, 26, 2412 St. Matthew Circle, and Keithrone Griffin, 23, 6524 Louis Elam, were both booked with burglary of the building, possession of drug paraphernalia and simple criminal damage to the building. Fernandez was also booked with possession of a tool for committing a crime.

Both are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Sheriff’s deputies Skyler Rauch and David Culpepper were conducting a check of an abandoned house at the same location about 8 p.m. when they heard movements inside a rear structure.

They saw the suspects exit the rear structure, ordered them to stop and detained them while investigating. They found a tool for opening car doors on Fernandez and a syringe on Griffin, the sheriff said.

Deputies also found the door of the rear structure had been forced open and the door window shattered. Inside, they found several items used to prepare and use heroin and a small plastic bag with powder residue, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Fresh needle marks and drying blood were found on both suspects’ arms.