Gun, Cash, Cars & Drugs Seized in Slidell Drug Bust

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives made two arrests Monday (January 31, 2022) after investigating a complaint that someone was selling illegal narcotics at a residence on Desoto Street in Slidell.

Detectives with the STPSO Narcotics Division made contact with two subjects at the residence in the 37000 block of Desoto Street and advised them of the investigation. The residents were identified as 37-year-old Jermaine Augustine and 32-year-old Deja Buckhalter. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence.

During the search, detectives located the following; nearly one kilogram of suspected cocaine, suspected heroin, suspected Adderall, suspected Tramadol, drug paraphernalia  commonly used for the packaging & sales of illicit narcotics, $6,232 dollars in U.S. currency, and a Smith and Wesson 40 Caliber handgun. Detectives learned that the firearm had been previously reported stolen by the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The suspected cocaine has an estimated street value of nearly $90,000 dollars. Detectives also identified several high end vehicles on the property which were seized by Detectives based on the belief the vehicles were purchased with proceeds from the sales of illicit narcotics. The vehicles seized were a 2021 T-Rex RR and a Lexus RC 350. 

Detectives learned that Augustine and Buckhalter had recently moved to the Slidell area from Orleans Parish. Detectives also discovered that Augustine was a convicted felon and has previously been arrested on charges of armed robbery, numerous drug law violations, theft, and domestic abuse battery. Most of these previous arrests were throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Augustine and Buckhalter were arrested and booked into the Saint Tammany Parish Correctional Center on the below listed charges:

Jermaine Augustine: Possession with the intent to distribute a SCH II CDS, Cocaine (more than 28 grams), Possession of Heroin, Possession of a firearm in the presence of a CDS, Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Possession of a stolen firearm, Transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $200,000.00.

Deja Buckhalter: Possession with the intent to distribute a SCH II CDS, Cocaine (more than 28 grams), Possession of Heroin, Possession of a firearm in the presence of a CDS, Possession of a stolen firearm, Transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, Possession of a SCH II CDS, Adderall, Possession of a SCH IV CDS, Tramadol, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $75,000.00.

“The hard working men and women of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office will work hard every day to remove drugs, weapons, and the people who are participating in these illegal activities, from the streets of St. Tammany Parish,” Sheriff Randy Smith stated. “We will not tolerate this type of activity in our parish and we will continue to take the same actions with others that choose to be involved with illegal narcotics and weapons.”