Two Arrested in Ponchatoula for Manufacturing Narcotics

Published 2:07 pm Tuesday, April 11, 2023

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of two Ponchatoula residents following the discovery of a clandestine laboratory.

Chief Jimmy Travis reports 39 year old Ashley St. Cyr and 42 year old Dwayne Richardson, both of Ponchatoula, were arrested on March 29, 2023 when they were found to be operating a DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) clandestine laboratory at their residence on Pecan Trace Drive east of Ponchatoula. Deputies initially responded to the residence to assist the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) who was following up on an open investigation led by their agency.

During the investigation, it was learned St. Cyr was manufacturing DMT inside the residence, which prompted the TPSO Narcotics Division to respond with a search warrant. As a result of the search warrant, agents recovered all the precursors used to manufacture DMT, a quantity of DMT, as well as paraphernalia used to consume DMT.

DMT is a hallucinogenic tryptamine drug that naturally occurs in many plant species but can also be made in a laboratory. DMT produces effects similar to those of psychedelics, like LSD or “magic mushrooms”.

Both St. Cyr and Richardson were charged with the following:

(1) count – Operation, creation possession of clandestine laboratory

(1) count – Manufacturing of CDS I

(1) count – Possession of drug paraphernalia

(1) count – Cruelty to a juvenile

The juvenile who was present at the residence at the time of the search was released to family at the direction of DCFS.

**All persons accused of a crime are considered innocent until proven guilty.