Paulina man wanted following large St. James Parish drug, gun bust

ST. JAMES PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A Paulina man is wanted following a large gun and drug bust that occurred in the area on Thursday evening.

According to the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, just after 3:30 p.m. on June 5, detectives tried to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation when it began to flee and the driver, later identified as 42-year-old Manndarryl Walters Sr., who was known to be serving a probated sentence for drug-related crimes, allegedly started throwing plastic bags out of the window.

The vehicle was found a little while later in the 2600 block of North Courseault Street in Lutcher. Inside, there were no occupants, and suspected drugs were reportedly found on the seats. Additionally, detectives collected the bags thrown from the vehicle, which they say also contained suspected drugs.

Following that incident, detectives found probably cause to search Walters’ home around 6:45 p.m. Detectives say that, at the house, they found suspected marijuana, cannabis vapes, mojo, heroin, fentanyl, ecstasy, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, methamphetamine, alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, carvedilol, amlodipine, drug paraphernalia, packaging materials and six firearms with ammo.

Also inside the home, detectives found what they believed was a clandestine laboratory, used to convert powder cocaine into crack cocaine. The electrical meter was reportedly found to be tampered with, causing the home to receive power illegally.

Walters is now wanted for the following crimes:

• 1 count resisting an officer.
• 1 count obstruction of justice.
• 3 counts distribution/possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, or synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids and cannabinoid concentrates.)
• 3 counts distribution/possession with the intent to distribute a schedule I CDS (heroin, brown tar heroin and fentanyl.)
• 5 counts distribution/possession with the intent to distribute schedule II CDS (methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, crack cocaine and oxycodone.)
• 3 counts distribution/possession with the intent to distribute schedule IV CDS (alprazolam, diazepam and lorazepam.)
• 2 counts sale, distribution or possession of legend drug without prescription or order prohibited; (carvedilol and amlodipine.)
• 1 count drug paraphernalia.
• 6 counts possession of firearm or carrying concealed weapon by a person convicted of certain felonies.
• 6 counts illegal possession of a firearm while in presence of CDS.
• 1 count clandestine lab.
• 1 count theft of utility service; inference of commission of theft.
• 1 count driving on roadway laned for traffic.
• 1 count reckless operation of a vehicle.

Anyone with information that could help in the search for Walters is asked to call the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office at 225-562-2200 or call 911.

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