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Sheriff: Dealer caught stockpiling drugs at small BR church after buyer died from overdose

1 year 5 months 3 weeks ago Wednesday, October 05 2022 Oct 5, 2022 October 05, 2022 7:23 PM October 05, 2022 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - An investigation into an overdose death led narcotics detectives to a small church in Baton Rouge where one man was arrested Tuesday. 

The narcotics division with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, along with the Central Police Department, was working an overdose death. A statement from a friend of the victim told officials the victim had purchased heroin and fentanyl from Hakeem Allen, 27. 

Agents conducted a months-long investigation leading them to obtain search warrants for three locations, including the Salvation Ministry of Jesus Christ, a small church that operated out of a home on Paige Street. All three warrants were conducted Tuesday. 

While investigators were conducting the search warrant at the ministry, Allen reportedly threw a Glock handgun with an extended magazine, 1.75 ounces of fentanyl, and .25 pounds of marijuana at the deputies while attempting to flee. He was soon brought into custody.

Among other drugs seized from the three search warrants, deputies found .5 pounds of fentanyl, 20 grams of methamphetamine, 29 grams of cocaine, 100 dosages of Suboxone, and 42 doses of Hydrocodone. 

The sheriff's office said most of the drugs were seized from the church site.

Additionally, deputies seized eight firearms and more than $70,000.

Judge Tarvald Smith set Allen's bond at $43,000. District Attorney Hillar Moore released a statement Wednesday evening saying bond may have been set too low: 

I respect the difficult role that judges have in setting bonds: balancing public safety and constitutional rights. In my opinion, given the hundreds of lethal doses of fentanyl as well as the presence of an arsenal of weapons and ammunition, the risk to public safety if the defendant was released should have received more consideration when setting bond. The current bond will surely allow the release of these defendants, albeit with some ankle monitoring. My office will review this case immediately amongst ourselves and the Sheriff’s office to determine if any additional facts exist that would warrant a reconsideration of the bond amount under these facts and circumstances.

The district attorney's office formally filed a motion Thursday to have Allen's bond revoked. 

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