On July 10, 2017, Russell Smalley of 385 Little Choupic Rd. Thibodaux, LA., age 52, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance. Smalley was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Chaney, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg. This guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors following a January traffic stop which yielded illegal narcotics. 

          On January 17, 2017, narcotics agents with the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a white Ford F150 pick-up truck on LA 308 in Labadieville after observing the vehicle nearly run off the roadway. Upon making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, deputies interviewed both the driver of the vehicle as well as the passenger, Russell Smalley. Smalley appeared to be nervous, and upon exiting the vehicle stuffed his hand in his pants. At this time, agents conducted a pat down of Smalley’s person for officer safety. During the pat down, agents located a clear plastic baggie containing approximately 1.5 grams of methamphetamine. A subsequent search of the vehicle and pat down of the driver yielded no narcotics. Smalley was placed under arrested and transported to the Assumption Parish Jail where he was booked accordingly.  

          Upon entering a guilty plea to the above mentioned charge, as per the plea agreement with prosecutors, Judge Stromberg ordered that Smalley be committed to the Louisiana Department of Corrections for a period of 4 years at hard labor with credit for time served.