Officer who saw a drug transaction in one parish followed suspect to Chalmette, where he was arrested when $2,500 in heroin, crack and a gun were found

Travis Enclade, arrested in Chalmette after an officer in another parish saw him in a suspected drug transaction and followed him to Enclade’s girlfriend’s home.

The heroin, crack cocaine, a gun and other items recovered.

In a very unusual case, a police officer who witnessed a drug transaction in one parish followed the suspected dealer to Chalmette, where he was arrested when $2,500 in heroin and crack cocaine and a gun were found in his girlfriend’s home, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

“This is what can happen when law enforcement agencies have good working relationships which cross parish lines,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“This heroin and crack didn’t make it to the streets of Chalmette because an officer in another parish was alert, knew he had seen something criminal taking place, and followed the suspected dealer and notified our department, which investigated and made the arrest,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Travis Enclade, 33, living with a woman at 3712 Richelieu Court, was booked with numerous charges Tuesday, Sept. 24, after officers from the Special Investigations Division responded to the call from the officer who followed Enclade. Enclade acknowledged he had drugs and the woman, who wasn’t arrested, gave written consent to a search of the home, the sheriff said.

Nearly a half-ounce, or 14 grams, of heroin worth about $1,400 was found in the home, along with about 11 grams of crack cocaine worth some $1,100 and a semi-automatic handgun, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a pain pill were found, said Maj. Chad Clark, commander of SID.

Neither the department the officer works with nor the parish where he witnessed the suspected drug transaction were identified because he was working a separate drug investigation that can’t be compromised, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Enclade, who is a convicted felon with numerous charges in his criminal history including attempted first-degree murder, drug charges and multiple burglary counts, was booked into St. Bernard Parish Prison.

He was booked with possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a small amount of marijuana and a pill of hydrocodone, possession of drug paraphernalia including a scale, baggies and a razor, illegal use of controlled substances in the presence of juveniles and illegal carrying of weapons in connection with controlled substances.

Sheriff Pohlmann said the officer who informed St. Bernard authorities about the suspected drug dealer, said he saw a woman use a pay phone and shortly thereafter Enclade arrived. She got into his car and conducted an apparent drug transaction, then they drove away separately, the officer said.

The officer followed the suspected drug dealer to Chalmette and saw him enter 3712 Richelieu Court, the sheriff said.