Five people have been charged in an apparent drug deal gone bad that occurred just southeast of Ruston on November 19.
In addition to two arrests on drug and gun charges on the day of the incident, the Lincoln Parish Sheriff ’s Office has arrested two men and a 16-year-old juvenile for attempted murder in what authorities called a drug deal that was actually intended to be an armed robbery.
Jeremieh Are’Tez Green, 21, and Kaleb Dontrell Holland, 19, both of Ruston, were arrested last week on two counts of attempted first degree murder, attempted armed robbery, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
Green was also booked for illegal carrying of a weapon in presence of a controlled dangerous substance. Holland was also charged with illegal discharge of a weapon.
Deputies responded to a report of gunshots in the area of Pecan Street and Donna Lane about 4:00 p.m. on November 19. They found a disabled vehicle riddled with bullet holes near the intersection of La. Highway 146 and South Chatham Spur just outside the city of Ruston.
The two occupants of the vehicle were still at the scene and stated the gunfire had been directed at them, but they were uninjured. During the course of the investigation, deputies recovered a Glock 19 9mm pistol and approximately 84 grams of suspected marijuana. Dozens of empty shell casings were found at the scene.
During interviews, Karmekizik Z. Barber, 19, admitted possessing the pistol while aware the other occupant, Tremarious D. Lewis, 17, was in possession of marijuana he was attempting to sell. Both men are from Jonesboro.
Lewis admitted he was attempting to sell the marijuana at the time of the incident. He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Barber was charged with illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $25,000.
LPSO Lt. Matt Henderson said Green, Holland, and the juvenile met Lewis and Barber to buy marijuana from Lewis. The three instead planned to steal the marijuana at gunpoint. During the interaction, they opened fire on the vehicle in which Lewis and Barber, both from Jonesboro, were sitting.
LPSO identified the three suspected robbers and located them over the course of several days last week.
Barber, Holland, and Green remain in the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail for Holland and Green was set at $850,000 each. The juvenile is being detained at facility in Jackson Parish.
The Sheriff’s Office has investigated several shootings in the Pecan Street neighborhood in recent months, according to detention center records.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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