Nearly $20,000 more cash believed to be proceeds of drug-dealing found at the home of a relative of a man arrested Tuesday night with $16,000 worth of heroin and $9,400 in cash

Posted: August 14th, 2014 | Filed under: News Releases
The nearly $30,000 in cash seized and the 5.7 ounces of heroin worth $16,000.

The nearly $30,000 in cash seized and the 5.7 ounces of heroin worth $16,000.

Nearly $20,000 more cash believed to be proceeds of drug-dealing has been found at the home of a relative of a Chalmette man arrested Tuesday night with $16,000 worth of heroin and $9,400 in cash, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Acting on further information, sheriff’s narcotics agent served a search warrant at the Chalmette home of a relative of Michael Adams, 40, on Wednesday night and found nearly $20,000 more cash believed to be proceeds of drug-dealing, the sheriff said.

A total of nearly $30,000 in cash belonging to Adams has now been found, the sheriff said. No arrests were made in the latest seizure of alleged drug money.

Adams and Britt Lavigne, 41 who both live at 3612 Jackson Blvd., Chalmette, were both booked Tuesday night with possession with intent to distribute 5.7 ounces of heroin worth $16,000 found in a search, with possession of 3.2 grams of synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Twenty-six unidentified capsules with no markings on them,were also recovered in the residence, along with several bottles of Boric acid.

Adams and Lavinge are both being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $70,000 each.

Sheriff’s deputies began the case as an investigation of a hit-and-run incident that happened after 5 p.m. Tuesday ebening when a motorist fled after hitting a light pole on St. Claude Avenue near Friscoville Avenue in Arabi, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Officers had a description of the vehicle, began looking in neighborhoods amd found an SUV matching the wanted vehicle, which had severe front end damage, at 3612 Jackson Blvd. in Chalmette and made contact with Adams.

When a small bag of what turned out to be synthetic marijuana was found in the vehicle, narcotics agents were called to the scene and a search warrant for the residence was obtained from a judge.

Adams was carrying more than $3,900 in cash on him at the residence, Lavigne carried about $1,400 in cash when she came home and an additional $4,100 cash was recovered in the residence, for a total of $9,422 seized there.