Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a Campti woman wanted in Lafayette, and seized illegal narcotics and counterfeit money during a traffic stop in north Natchitoches on Sunday evening according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.
NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau deputies were patrolling in the Town of Campti on Jan. 8 around 5:55 pm when they stopped a 1999 Ford Expedition for a traffic violation which included switched license plates.
Deputies attempted to identify the operator of the vehicle, however, she provided deputies with at least five different names.
An additional deputy working on shift was able to identify the violator as Latasha A. Paul, 41 of Campti.
Paul was then placed under arrest.
A local warrants check revealed Paul was wanted by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for Failure to Appear in Court in Lafayette Parish for arraignment on an alleged theft less than $1,000 offense.
A 5-year-old child in the vehicle was released to relatives.
Deputies say as they were attempting to place Paul in the rear of a patrol unit she became combative and failed to comply with verbal commands. A short while later deputies were successful in restraining Paul in the unit.
A local wrecker service was contacted to impound the vehicle.
During an inventory of the vehicle, deputies discovered and seized suspected crystal methamphetamine, suspected drug paraphernalia, and 90 counterfeit bills, 31 of the 90 bills in $100 and $5 denominations had been altered.
Paul was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Possession of CDS Schedule II Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, 31-Counts of Monetary Instrument Abuse (Counterfeit Money), Switched License Plate, Failure to Appear in Lafayette Parish and other traffic offenses.
Paul remains in the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center with bond set by a 10th Judicial District Court Judge at $167,500 and a hold for Lafayette Parish.
Patrol Shift “D” made the arrest.
Detectives assigned to the NPSO High Tech Crime Unit continue the counterfeit money investigation.
Natchitoches Drug Task Force Agents are also assisting.
