WELFARE CONCERN – DRUG / GUN LAW VIOLATIONS

WELFARE CONCERN – DRUG / GUN LAW VIOLATIONS

VALERIE MARIE SOTO

BAYOU L’OURSE – Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reports the arrest of Valerie Marie Soto, 41, of 622 Bush Street, Morgan City, LA, on felony drug and gun law violations arising from a welfare concern investigated by deputies on Tuesday.

Deputies were dispatched to a retail outlet west of Bayou L’Ourse in reference to a female who appeared to be unconscious in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. Deputies made contact with the female and were able to wake her up. Deputies engaged the individual now identified as Valerie Marie Soto and initiated an officer / violator interview. At the conclusion of that interview, the deputy believed additional investigation was warranted. The deputy summoned a K-9 to the location. The K-9 conducted an open-air sniff of the suspect vehicle and alerted positive for the presence of controlled dangerous substances. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, assorted drug paraphernalia and a large caliber handgun. Valerie Marie Soto was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center on charges of:

*Possession of Methamphetamine

*Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

*Illegal Carrying of Weapons in the Presence of Controlled Dangerous Substances

Valerie Marie Soto remains incarcerated pending a bond hearing.

For additional information concerning this News Release, contact Sheriff Leland Falcon or Public Information Officer, Lonny Cavalier at (985) 498-9353 or (985) 369-2912.