Jail search results in charges

A four-hour lockdown and search of the Iberia Parish Jail Thursday night resulted in the recovery and seizure of illegal narcotics, narcotics paraphernalia, contraband and homemade weapons. Five inmates are facing charges, a press from the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office said.

The inmates facing charges are Kwaymar Michael, Jerry Chessire, David Johnson, Tristan Bernard and Derek Breeze.

Sheriff’s office spokesman Wendell Raborn said Michael and Chessire will be charged with possession of illegal narcotics. Johnson will be charged with possession of illegal narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bernard and Breeze will be charged with introduction of contraband into a correctional institution.

He declined to specify on the specifics of the narcotics charges. He said specifics would come out in court and when the inmates are charged.

Raborn said the inmates will most likely be charged Monday and are currently in their cells. He said if they are found guilty they will most likely have time added to their sentences.

Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal and Warden Frank Ellis led the search, which Ackal ordered. Angola State Penitentiary Deputy Warden Kenny Norris brought the state Department of Corrections shakedown team, comprised of officers from Angola, Hunt and Dixon penitentiaries and narcotics detection dogs, to assist.

About 40 officers total assisted in the raid.

Ackal was unavailable for comment this morning. A spokesperson at the jail said they were unable to comment.

Raborn, who was at the scene Thursday night, said the raid was planned by Ackal, Ellis and state officials and unannounced to anyone else beforehand.

“They got full co-operation from the state shakedown team,” Raborn said. “They were happy to come assist. They did a fantastic job — it was a sight to see.”

He said the officers searched the jail pod by pod. Inmates were removed from the pods, which house 25 to 30 people, one at a time. After that, the pod was hand searched with the dogs assisting.

Raborn said he had seen a few shake downs before, but this one was extremely large-scale and efficient. He said the chance something was missed exists, but that “if something got by these guys last night, I would be surprised.”

Raborn said the homemade weapons are what are known as “shanks” — a homemade knife or ice pick. It is included in the charge of “contraband.”

“There’s always the rumor or hint of things coming in and out” of the jail, Raborn said, adding Ackal wanted to make sure there was nothing there and to make sure the inmates knew these types of things would not be tolerated. “They’re not supposed to have these items. I’m sure there will be raids in the future.”

He said he did not know when the last raid was conducted.