- On Friday, February 28, 2014, at approximately 3:30pm, detectives of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted a joint operation with the Louisiana State Police Narcotics Division Houma Office and the Morgan City Police Narcotics Division. During the investigation into suspected illegal drug activity at the home of James Jones and Aimee Monnin detectives obtained a "no knock" search warrant for their house in Ricohoc (rural Franklin, LA). These two people recently came from California to open a business in the small town of Morgan City LA, and had their medical 215s (Aimee for SI nerve pain in her spine from childhood scoliosis and severe lack of appetite from stress and James' is for nerve pain in his foot from it almost being completely ripped of in a motorcycle accident) They only had a small quantity, with NO intent to sell or distribute. They can prove their reasons for growing their own medical marijuana!! But Louisiana doesn't see it that way. Unfortunately they were also charged with felony gun possession in the presence of a CDS (a small .22long rifle for shooting paper targets and a small handgun at their business for their own protection because they deal in cash.) The business was also raided, without a warrant.These people do NOT have criminal records!! They were booked into jail and thrown in a holding cell on a Friday so that they wouldn't be able to see a judge and post their $15,000 and $25,000 bonds until Monday morning.
These regular people own a successful tattoo shop in a small town and worked very hard to be good citizens, pay their taxes and try to make it in this beautiful state. But Louisiana has a dark side. It puts more people in prison for pot than ANY other state. We need to TRY to right this wrong. The laws need to be changed! They are facing a mandatory minimum of 5-30 yrs in prison for this! They admit, what they did was wrong by law, but use a little common sense Louisiana! Marijuana is a plant, period. End the madness!:-S :-q :-q They "suspected" through the aerial surveillance (high def thermal camera Helicopters) that they were cultivating marijuana. What they described in the news, and on the sheriff's social media page, as an elaborate cultivation operation, was TEN SMALL PLANTS!!!! in a back bedroom. 20+ cops drove up in 5 SUV's at 50mph down their little dirt road and the chaos ensued.
The two "criminals" had a 6 month old rottweiler, a little dachshund and were also fostering a mastiff puppy at the time. Guns were drawn but Aimee was able to plead with one of the cops not to shoot at the animals. They completely destroyed the house, and invaded their right to privacy....all for ten small plants under 2 small lights! Aimee was repeatedly questioned after she requested a lawyer, and was told by one detective "FUCK HER, she's goin down for life! Judge gunna set your bonds at half a million dollars! FUCK 'EM!" (Yes, they have some FINE cops here in Louisiana)
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Eye in the Sky: Helicopters over Louisiana
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