Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit agents concluded a several week investigation into marijuana trafficking in Central Louisiana on Jan. 29. Through their investigation, Agents were able to identify the suspect as Stephen Marquise Batiste, 30 of Alexandria.
Agents intercepted a package containing high grade marijuana and developed information that Batiste would be in possession of approximately eight pounds of marijuana with the intentions of distributing it throughout Rapides and Avoyelles Parishes. Agents made contact with Batiste once he was in full possession of the marijuana and after a search incident to arrest, revealed Batiste also possessed a firearm on his person.
Batiste was placed under arrest without incident and transported to the Rapides Parish Detention Center and booked for possession of CDS I (Marijuana) with intent to distribute and illegal carrying of a firearm with narcotics.
Narcotics Detectives with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office were also contacted and assisted in this investigation.
The Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit is a multi-jurisdictional team comprised of the Alexandria Police Department, Ball Police Department, Boyce Police Department, Cheneyville Police Department, Forest Hill Police Department, Glenmora Police Department, Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office Lecompte Police Department, McNary Police Department, Pineville Police Department, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Woodworth Police Department, Grant Parish District Attorney’s Office and the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office.
The RADE Unit continues to target individuals suspected of trafficking narcotics in the Central Louisiana area. If you have information or would like to report any narcotics activity, you may do so by sending direct messages to the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement Facebook page.