Shreveport Man Found Guilty of Gun and Drug Charges

 A Shreveport man was found guilty in Caddo District Court this week of multiple drug offenses committed earlier this year.

The jury in District Judge Erin Leigh Waddell Garrett's court deliberated less than an hour before rendering its verdicts on Jeremy Deon Rainey, 31, who was arrested April 5, 2021, in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a 9-mm handgun. The trial began with jury selection Monday, December 13, 2021, and concluded Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

Rainey was found guilty as charged on five separate counts: possession with the intent to distribute the Schedule I controlled dangerous substance marijuana; possession with the intent to distribute the Schedule II CDS methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute the Schedule II CDS cocaine; while in possession of those drugs the illegal carrying of the aforementioned weapons; and possession of those firearms as a convicted felon. Rainey has an extensive criminal history, including six prior felony convictions, and was on parole when arrested.

Early on the date of his arrest, Shreveport police observed Rainey, asleep or unconscious, in a vehicle stopped at a green light at the intersection of Hearne Avenue and Murphy Street. First treating the incident as a welfare concern, police approached the vehicle to rouse Rainey. The officer saw the stock of a rifle between Rainey’s right leg and the car's center console. When Rainey woke up, police ordered him to put the vehicle into park and to provide ID. As Rainey searched for his ID in the center console, police observed the handgun, as well as small baggie later found to contain marijuana. At that point, police ordered Rainey to exit the vehicle. Searching Rainey and his vehicle after he was arrested, read his rights and found to be a felon, police recovered more than $4,300, 10 baggies of marijuana weighing approximately 73.3 grams; four baggies of cocaine weighing approximately five grams; eight baggies of crystal methamphetamine weighing approximately 5.4 grams, 31 methamphetamine tablets in three baggies, and packaging material and digital scales.

For the marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine convictions, he faces 1 to 10 years in prison , with or without hard labor, and a fine of up to $50,000, for each conviction. For the carrying of firearms while in possession of controlled dangerous substances conviction, he faces 5 to 10 years in prison at hard labor, without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, and a fine of up to $10,000. And for the possession of firearms as a convicted felon, he faces 5 to 20 years in prison at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, and a fine of from $1,000 to $5,000.