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By Bill Davis

Posted: Jan 13, 2012 8:15 AM
Updated: Jan 20, 2012 1:58 PM

NEWS RELEASE January 20, 2012

Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen says additional charges from two separate incidents have been levied against a Princeton man who was arrested nearly two weeks ago for manufacturing methamphetamine at his residence. Six additional drug charges were handed down to Billy J. Thomas, 29, of the 2000 block of Coastal Drive, following an investigation by narcotics agents that tied Thomas to another meth lab in south Bossier and led them to other drug and hazardous material evidence found at the Briarwood Trailer Park in Princeton.

Thomas was initially arrested Jan. 11 on warrants issued in early November in which he was charged with two counts of the manufacture of Schedule II (meth), two counts of cruelty to juveniles (two small children were present in the house while he made meth), and two unrelated warrants. Thomas had remained at-large from November to January until someone spotted him Jan. 11 trespassing and fishing at a private pond off of Highway 157 in Haughton. Over the course of the next few days following Thomas' arrest on Jan. 11, narcotics agents pieced together a puzzle that tied Thomas to another meth lab that was discovered at the residence of John A. White in the 100 block of Vantage Pointe in south Bossier. At that residence, agents found a meth lab and seized drug paraphernalia and approximately one gram of suspected methamphetamine. Further investigation led agents to discover that Thomas had discarded evidence from his vehicle somewhere near Coastal Drive and Winfield Road in Princeton. Agents searched the area and found on the edge of the Briarwood Trailer Park property a suitcase and backpack with clothing, a pouch with three needles, a broken metal spoon, and a red straw with residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine, all tied to Thomas. Additional charges for Thomas include the manufacture of Schedule II (meth), two counts of possession of Schedule II (meth), two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and reckless handling of hazardous materials. Thomas is currently incarcerated at the Bossier Maximum Security Facility and has a bond from all charges of $283,150.

News Release January 11, 2012.

A Princeton man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on warrant charges issued in November for manufacturing methamphetamine at his residence in Princeton.
Billy J. Thomas, 29, of the 2000 block of Coastal Drive, was arrested on warrants that were issued during the time of the arrest of 10 persons at two other area meth arrests on Briarwood Lane and Jodie Lane on Nov. 2. At that time, narcotics agents were tipped about possible meth labs at three locations, but agents were only able to locate the suspects for the Briarwood and Jodie Lane arrests. Subsequently, warrants were drawn for the suspects of the meth labs at the residence on Coastal Drive after agents found suspected meth materials on the porch of the residence.

One of those suspects, Travis Thomas, was arrested nearly a week later on Nov. 7 after he had turned himself in to Bossier Sheriff's deputies on unrelated charges. However, Billy Thomas, his brother, remained at-large for two months until someone found him Wednesday trespassing and fishing at a private pond off of Highway 157 in Haughton. Bossier deputies responded to the scene, and Billy Thomas was taken into custody without incident.

He was being charged with two counts of manufacture of Schedule II (meth), two counts of cruelty to juveniles (two small children were present in the house while he made meth), and two unrelated warrants. He was transported to the Bossier Maximum Security Facility for booking and has a bond of $71,050.