Sheriff’s Office seizes more than a half-pound of heroin, largest amount ever in the parish; It indicates the surge in heroin nationally;

Alvin Clay, ringleader in the heroin operation

Shonika White, Clay’s girlfriend, who was booked on marijuana and Tramadol pain-killer charges

The largest heroin seizure ever in St. Bernard Parish – more than a half-pound – has been carried out by the Sheriff’s Office after developing information on a group that moved into Chalmette less than two months ago, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Six people including a 15-year-old boy were arrested Thursday, March 19, and some $29,000 in cash has been recovered, along with a small amount of marijuana and pain-killer pills, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

The heroin would be worth well over $100,000 in retail sales.

The arrests were made by the Special Investigations Division, commanded by Maj. Chad Clark.

The ringleader is Alvin Clay, 28, who moved to 3705 Shangri-La Drive in Chalmette in late January. He has a lengthy criminal history that includes 30 months spent in prison for drugs and weapons in a New Orleans conviction.

When arrested last week, Clay was out on bond in New Orleans from recent arrests there for possession with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana. The sheriff speculated Clay may have thought he could hide in Chalmette to take the pressure off him in New Orleans.

Clay is booked in St. Bernard Parish with possession with intent to distribute heroin, 11 grams of marijuana and the pain-killer pills Tramadol, as well as a count of possession of up to 400 grams of heroin.

Clay is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of bond set at $250,000.

About 8.3 ounces of heroin was found in a carry safe at Clay’s residence. The money was in the case and a closet.

A woman identified as Clay’s girlfriend, Shonika White, 36, of the same address, was booked with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and the Tramadol. She is being held in lieu of bond set at $7,500.

Three Chalmette men, Dorian Charles, 19, Keith Payton, 18, and Jimmy White, 24, as well as a juvenile boy, were all booked with possession of marijuana.

“This is the largest seizure of heroin the Sheriff’s Office has made in St. Bernard Parish,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“We have also made a number of heroin cases in Chalmette recently made both by the Special Investigations Division and by patrol deputies after traffic stops’’, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“It’s all indicative of the surge in heroin use and importation that has been taking place nationwide and we see it in St. Bernard,’’ the sheriff said.

“It is important we continue to put resources into rooting out drugs and the people who are making so much money ruining the lives of people such as those who have become addicted to heroin,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

“We take this seriously and it is gratifying when we can eliminate a large amount of this poison from our parish.’’

What was seized in the arrest would have amounted to 8,800 injections of heroin, the sheriff said, all of which has been taken off the streets.

Maj. Clark said his division seized about 6.5 ounces of heroin all last year on 47 arrests, an amount surpassed in one day by the Clay arrest.

With the amount of heroin found with Clay, “there is no telling how many lives were saved,’’ Clark said.

“This drug heroin is destroying families every day and I can assure you we will not rest until every heroin dealer here is arrested,’’ Clark said.

District Attorney Perry Nicosia attended a press conference and said Clay’s criminal record makes him a good candidate for prosecution as a habitual offender and receive an enhanced sentence.

Anyone with information about drug activity in St. Bernard should call the Sheriff’s Office’s anonymous drug hotline at 271-DOPE, which is 271-3673. All calls are acted upon.