On this page
Houma drug cases and the 32nd JDC
Felony drug cases in Terrebonne Parish are prosecuted by the 32nd Judicial District Attorney in the 32nd Judicial District Court, at the Terrebonne Parish Courthouse, 7856 Main Street in Houma. Misdemeanor drug charges may be heard there as well, and Houma also has a city court that may hear some misdemeanors, so check the court named on your paperwork.
Arrests inside the city are made by the Houma Police Department, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office covers the rest of the parish. People held after arrest are usually taken to the Terrebonne Criminal Justice Complex at 3211 Grand Caillou Road.
Meth, cocaine and pills: how Schedule II charges work
Meth, cocaine and oxycodone are all Schedule II drugs in Louisiana, so they share the same penalty tiers for possession:
- Under 2 grams: up to 2 years and up to $5,000.
- 2 to under 28 grams: 1 to 5 years and up to $5,000.
Distribution or possession with intent is much more serious. Under 28 grams carries 1 to 10 years and up to $50,000, and 28 grams or more carries 1 to 20 years at hard labor. Fentanyl has its own, harsher tiers. Our main drug charges defense page covers each drug.
Why the lab report and the weight matter so much
Louisiana measures drug weight by the aggregate weight of the whole mixture, not just the pure drug. A few tenths of a gram can move a case from the under-2-gram tier to the 2-to-28-gram tier, and from up to 2 years to a minimum of 1 year.
Barry asks hard questions about the evidence. Was the substance actually identified by a lab, or only field tested? Was it weighed with or without packaging? Was the chain of custody kept from the scene to the lab? Do the numbers in the report match the numbers in the evidence log? Small problems here can change the charge.
When the State says you intended to sell
A possession with intent to distribute charge can turn a case worth a few years into one worth decades. For Schedule II drugs such as meth and cocaine, intent under 28 grams carries 1 to 10 years. Fentanyl intent under 28 grams carries 5 to 40 years at hard labor. Heroin intent carries 5 to 40 years at hard labor for any amount.
Police often point to cash, a scale, baggies or a phone full of messages. Barry looks at what those items actually show. Cash is not a sale, and a scale is not a buyer. He also checks whether the drug-free zone law is in play, since distribution within 2,000 feet of a school, church or similar place can raise the maximum prison term by up to half. See possession vs. possession with intent.
How Barry defends Terrebonne Parish drug cases
Barry starts with how the drugs were found. If police searched without a warrant, valid consent or a legal exception, he can move to suppress the evidence. He also looks at whether the State can prove the drugs were yours, especially in a shared car or home.
Barry has seen these cases from every side: as a judicial staff attorney, as a felony trial prosecutor in Orleans Parish and as a public defender in the 17th JDC Public Defender's Office, which serves neighboring Lafourche Parish. He uses that experience to push for dismissal, a reduced charge or a first-offender option such as Article 893 where the law allows it.
Hiring a Kenner firm for a Houma case
Our office is about 55 to 65 minutes (roughly 55 miles) from the Houma courthouse. You do not need to make that drive to get started. Barry offers free remote consultations by phone or video, and he comes to Houma for court. Call (504) 905-8399 any time, 24/7.
Many clients find it easier to talk from home anyway. You can share documents by phone or email, and Barry will walk you through every step before each court date.
What to do in the first 72 hours
- Do not talk about the drugs with police, cellmates or on jail phones.
- If someone is at the Terrebonne Criminal Justice Complex, call about bail. A judge must see them within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.
- Keep all paperwork, including any property or evidence receipts.
- Call (504) 905-8399 for a free, confidential consultation.
See our Houma criminal defense and Terrebonne Parish pages for other charges.