Over 50 Firearms Recovered in Slidell Operation

The Slidell Police Department’s SWAT team executed an early Friday (November 22, 2024) morning search warrant on a home in the Slidell area after an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine, led by the Slidell Police Department’s Narcotics Division. The operation involved collaboration with several law enforcement agencies, including the Covington Police Department, Louisiana State Police, 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

As a result of the search warrant, over 50 firearms were recovered, with at least two being reported as stolen. Additionally, approximately twenty grams of methamphetamine, assorted prescription pills, and drug paraphernalia were located and confiscated from the home. Investigators also located three grenades. As a precaution, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Device Unit responded to the scene, and safely removed the grenades, which were determined to be training grenades. Arrested were

• 46-year-old David Nolan of Slidell on numerous drug-related offenses, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, possession/manufacturing of bomb making material, and possession of a firearm while in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. 

• 45-year-old Brandy McDowell of Slidell on the charge of possession of a scheduled II controlled dangerous substance. 

• 43-year-old George Bethea IV of Arabi on numerous drug-related offenses, possession of a firearm while in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, resisting an officer by providing false information, and injuring public records. Bethea was also found to be a wanted fugitive out of New Orleans for his involvement in an auto theft. 

This successful operation serves as a great example of teamwork and coordination between different agencies working together to combat drug trafficking in our community. The recovery of stolen firearms also highlights the connection between drug trafficking and other criminal activities, and serves as a reminder of the importance of identifying, locating, and apprehending these criminals to keep our communities a safer place to live. 

Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal said: "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘦𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴."