POLICE OFFICER BOOKED IN SELLING DRUGS

A 12-year veteran of the New Roads Police Department is in federal custody
after being arrested Wednesday night and accused of selling cocaine and
marijuana in a criminal complaint.

Sgt. Louis Martin of New Roads sold 9 grams of cocaine and about 27 grams
of marijuana to an undercover federal agent and an informant between
January and March, Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Kevin Harrison said.

Martin, who also worked as a school bus driver in Pointe Coupee Parish, is
being held in the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail pending a bail hearing Monday.

There is no mention in the complaint of Martin being accused of selling or
using drugs while he was on duty as a bus driver or in the presence of
students.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Jones asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen
Reidlinger to hold Martin in jail.

"The defendant is a serious risk to obstruct justice or injure or
intimidate witnesses," Jones said.

A second man arrested Wednesday night, Martin's cousin Henry Martin, was
released after making an initial court appearance Thursday afternoon. No
other suspects or aspects of Louis Martin's personal life are mentioned in
the complaint.

Louis and Henry Martin each answered "yes" and "no" to questions from
Reidlinger about whether they understood the proceedings.

Louis Martin's attorney, Thomas Nelson, asked for the bail hearing on
Monday. The Federal Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent
Henry Martin, who appeared without an attorney.

The investigation into Louis Martin began about two years ago and moved
from Pointe Coupee Parish to another unidentified parish, Police Chief
Kirby Jarreau said.

Assistant Police Chief Vernell Davis, police detectives and the New Roads
Mayor's Office also assisted in the investigation, Jarreau said.

Jarreau filed a complaint with the DEA in January, which led to Wednesday
night's arrest, Harrison said.

Martin has been suspended from his duties with the Police Department until
further notice, Jarreau said.

"It didn't come to me as a shock because we've been investigating for two
years," the chief said.

The bust was "painful," but necessary, Jarreau said.

"He arrested people probably for the same thing he is doing and was doing,"
Jarreau said. "We did do the right thing. We took a rotten apple out of the
barrel."

Harrison said the investigation is continuing, but it does not appear other
police officers are involved.

Neither Harrison nor U.S. Attorney David Dugas would say where Louis Martin
got the drugs he is accused of using and selling.

The case will be presented to a federal grand jury soon, Dugas said.

Pointe Coupee Parish School Superintendent Greg Grimes said he is
investigating Martin's situation and that a substitute school bus driver
handled Martin's route Thursday.

The DEA began recording conversations with Louis Martin in January and set
up a meeting between him and a confidential informant on Jan. 31, DEA Agent
Mark Lusco wrote in a criminal complaint.

During the meeting, which was taped, Martin said he used chemicals to cover
the drugs he was using when he had to take a drug test, Lusco wrote.

That night, the confidential informant bought half of a gram of cocaine
from Louis Martin, Lusco wrote.

Martin sold another half-gram of cocaine to the informant on Feb. 13, then
ingested some cocaine during the meeting, Lusco wrote.

The informant bought another 21/2 grams of cocaine on March 7, Lusco wrote.

Louis and Henry Martin met the informant and an undercover DEA agent
Wednesday night in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Port Allen, Lusco wrote.

During the meeting, the informant bought more than 5 grams of cocaine from
Louis Martin and almost 22 grams of marijuana, Lusco wrote.

DEA agents stopped the Martins before they could leave the parking lot,
Harrison said.

They found a package of marijuana in Henry Martin's sock as well as cocaine
on the passenger side floor of Louis Martin's car, Harrison said.

"We're not talking about huge amounts here," Harrison said.