St. Bernard heroin operation broken up with eight arrests, including a New Orleans dealer caught distributing and a Chalmette woman who sold to support her habit; Several bags of heroin, $1,499 cash

The $1,499 cash and several bags of heroin seized from Corley after his arrest. Corley was seen by officers distributing heroin to Prosper and a man.

Joey Corley of New Orleans, arrested for distribution of heroin in St. Bernard

Brandy Prosper, right, and Calogero Carbello, who lives with her in Chalmette, are handcuffed and sit on a bench in front of their residence after their arrests at their home on Wednesday, May 21. Behind them is Lt. Clifford “Chip” Englande of the Sheriff’s Office. She is booked with heroin distribution and both are booked with possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

A heroin operation was broken up in Chalmette with eight arrests in two days following a week-long investigation, including a dealer from New Orleans caught distributing, a Chalmette woman who sold to support her habit and others who were users, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.

Several bags of heroin and a number of needles were seized in the operation, plus $1,499 found on the dealer.

Two of those arrested were a man and woman who both called the dealer separately, not knowing he was in custody after his arrest, and wanted to purchase heroin. Arrangements were made to meet and sheriff’s narcotics officers arrived and booked them with attempted possession of heroin.

Sheriff Pohlmann and Maj. Chad Clark, who heads the Special Investigations Division which includes the Narcotics Unit, said the Sheriff’s Office is battling an upsurge in heroin use like the rest of the New Orleans area that is also an emerging national problem.

The heroin arrests made Wednesday and Tuesday are part of a continuing emphasis on trying to lock up and/or force heroin dealers from the parish.

Joey Corley, 37, 10821 Roger Drive, in New Orleans, was booked Tuesday with heroin distribution after narcotics officers saw him stop his vehicle and make hand-to-hand deliveries to a woman and man, who live at separate addresses on Lloyds Avenue in Chalmette, Sheriff Pohlmann said.

Corley was stopped afterwards by officers, gave consent to a search, and five small bags of a tan-colored powdered substance was located, which tested positive for heroin. Also found was $1,499 in cash.

Corley was booked with distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He is being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison in lieu of $75,000 bond.

The sheriff when the officers saw Corley they had surveillance set up on the residence of the woman involved, Brandy Brown, 39, also known as Brandy Prosper. She was already a suspect because she had sold heroin to a confidential information recently and the Sheriff’s Office already had a warrant for her arrest on a distribution charge.

The man seen getting heroin from Corley was Randy Alphonso, 43, who lives in an apartment at Lloyds near St. Bernard Highway, the sheriff said.

After his arrest, Corley admitted he had met with the man and woman and “fronted’’ them each $50 bags of heroin, not requiring them to pay at the time.

Also, the two who called Corley’s phone Tuesday while he was in custody to buy $40 each of heroin but were arrested by narcotics officers were identified as Joshua Tretler, 29, of Slidell and Jacklyn Stromain, 36, 3544 Van Cleave, Meraux. Both were booked with attempted possession of the drug.

On Wednesday, narcotics agents executed an arrest warrant for Prosper on a distribution of heroin charge, and a search warrant for her residence and also went to Alphonso’s residence and received permission to search.

Three people were taken into custody at Prosper’s residence after the search turned up a small amount of heroin and numerous needles. Prosper, Calogero Carbello, 42, who lives at 2120 Lloyds with her, and a second man, Robert Allen, 36, who has no permanent address but was staying at the house, were all booked with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

At Alphonso’s residence, he and Christy Paola, 49, were both booked with possession of drug paraphernalia.

All those arrested Wednesday were in St. Bernard Parish Prison pending an appearance before a magistrate judge to have bond set.