More than $8,000 worth of marijuana, a shotgun and $3,600 cash recovered in one day by Sheriff’s Office

Some of the marijuana and cash recovered in the narcotics seizure

Maurice Rothschild, booked with marijuana, shotgun and $1,991 cash

In one day, Friday, March 15, the sheriff’s Special Investigations Division recovered three-quarters of a pound of marijuana worth more than $8,000, a shotgun, about $3,600 cash and arrested six people in two cases, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

In the first arrests, a man, his mother and another woman, all from New Orleans, were taken into custody after the man was stopped about 11 a.m. for running a red light and other traffic offenses on West Judge Perez Drive in Arabi, the sheriff said.

Agents of the sheriff’s SID, commanded by Maj. Chad Clark, smelled raw marijuana in the vehicle, questioned the driver about it and received verbal consent for a search, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Officers found a total of 5.4 ounces of marijuana in two locations, worth $3,900 on the streets. Also located was other evidence of drug-dealing, including several scales and plastic sandwich bags. The sheriff said.

A shotgun hidden under a pile of clothes and $1,991 cash was also discovered.

Arrested were driver Maurice Rothschild, 20, his mother, Angela Rothschild, 42, both of 1913 Iberville St., and Tiffani Pratcher, 21, 1640 Painters St.

All were booked with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while possessing a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver also was booked with driving with a suspended license and with a number of traffic offenses.

The three were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison.

In a separate case about 3:15 p.m. that day, two men and a woman were arrested and seized was a total of 6.1 ounces of marijuana in two locations, worth a total of $4,350. The high-quality marijuana was packaged in numerous small plastic bags. Scales and plastic bags were also found.

Also recovered was about $1,600 cash, making it a total seizure of some $3,600 that day, the sheriff said.

“That’s the way to deal a blow to drug-dealers by taking their drugs and cash and putting them in jail,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The three arrests were made at two apartments at 2620 Angelique Drive, Violet.

Agents arrested Arthur Pierce, 46, who lived in Apt. D at 2620 Angelique, and Martin Dippold, 28, and Mindy Sistrunk, 26, both of Apt. Apt. A, in the same complex.

All three were booked with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. All were booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison.

Officers found Pierce and Dippold in Pierce’s apartment, where marijuana was in plain view on a counter, and other marijuana was also found in Pierce’s apartment, the sheriff said. A bag of the drug was also located on Dippold at that time.

Dippold admitted he had more marijuana in his apartment and permitted a search, where other bags were found. Sistrunk, who was inside Dippold’s apartment and said she lived there, was also arrested.