MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
a division of the
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Division of Drug and Crime Control, Post Office Box 568, Jefferson City, MO 65102


News Release

For further information please contact: Sgt. Jason P. Clark
(573) 522-0980
DDCC 11250425
November 25, 2009

EMPHASIS: Joint Narcotics Investigation Results In Arrests


Members of the Mineral Area Drug Task Force (MADTF) and the Missouri State Highway Patrol recognized a pattern of heroin overdoses within the Mineral Area, several of which had resulted in the deaths of younger adults. The Highway Patrol, St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department, and MADTF organized a concentrated enforcement effort in response to these local tragedies. Several agencies joined the investigation, including the St. Francois County Prosecutor’s Office, Farmington Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Desloge Police Department, Bonne Terre Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. As a result of the ongoing, cooperative investigation, the member agencies identified a group of individuals in St. Louis, MO, who were suspected to be the main source of supply of the heroin distributed within the Mineral Area.

On the evening of Tuesday, November 24, 2009, the participating agencies and the Highway Patrol’s Troop C SWAT team executed a search warrant at 1613 - #1 North Union Boulevard in St. Louis. The execution of the search warrant resulted in the seizure of an indoor marijuana growing operation, a small quantity of crack cocaine, processed marijuana, a large quantity of heroin, a semi-automatic rifle, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia.

The following two suspects have been charged by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office with narcotics violations:

Lavarius Blake, 36, of St. Louis, MO -- possession of cocaine
Clarence Nash, 29, of Osceola, AR -- delivery of a controlled substance (heroin)

An additional suspect remains at large. The investigation is ongoing with further arrests expected.

The charges for which Blake and Nash have been arrested are mere accusation and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.


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