Friday, September 10, 1999

An Oil City police officer and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s narcotics agents arrested two Shreveport men today on a variety of methamphetamines charges and effectively shut down a suspected methamphetamines manufacturing operation in the residence of one of them.

At about 1 a.m. today, Oil City Police Officer Steve McKenna stopped a 1984 Ford LTD on La. 1 in Oil City for traffic violations. McKenna found the driver, Christopher Lanier, 25, of 5669 Shreveport-Blanchard Highway, to be in possession of a loaded handgun and a switchblade knife. McKenna arrested Lanier for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

McKenna then searched Lanier’s vehicle and found a small amount of suspected methamphetamines and a dismantled methamphetamine lab and the chemicals to manufacture methamphetamines in the trunk of the car. McKenna also arrested the passenger in Lanier’s car, Jeffrey Scott Austin, 40, of 6943 Alvin York Drive, and charged him, as well as Lanier, with manufacturing methamphetamines, possession of methamphetamines and possession of drug paraphernalia.

McKenna then called in Caddo Parish Sheriff’s narcotics agents who continued the investigation at Austin’s residence, where they found evidence of methamphetamine manufacturing and seized about 50 grams of methamphetamines with a street value of about $5,000. Sheriff’s narcotics agents were assisted with the seizure and disposal of the manufacturing equipment and chemicals by Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Shreveport.

As a result of the investigation at Austin’s residence, the agents charges Lanier and Austin with additional counts of manufacture of methamphetamines and possession of methamphetamines over 28 grams.

Lanier and Austin were booked at the Caddo Correctional Center at about 11 a.m. and about 4:30 p.m. respectively. Bonds have not been set.