The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office is asking Reserve residents to keep an eye out for 21-year-old Ramon Patterson Jr., who is wanted on a pair of felony warrants. Deputies say those warrants accuse him of possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs and aggravated flight from an officer in a motor vehicle. His photo and contact details have been circulated on social media as investigators try to bring him in, as reported by the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office.
In a Facebook alert, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said Patterson is wanted on the listed felony warrants and identified him as a person of interest in an ongoing investigation. The post urges anyone who recognizes him or has information about his whereabouts to contact authorities.
How to report tips
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (504) 822-1111 or the sheriff’s tips line at 985-359-TIPS, according to the sheriff’s post. CrimeStoppers notes that callers can remain anonymous and are assigned a tip number so investigators can follow up without asking for a name.
Parish drug enforcement context
The sheriff’s office has carried out several targeted narcotics investigations in recent years, leading to drug seizures and multiple arrests after months-long probes, reporting by L'Observateur shows. Public arrest logs on the sheriff’s website also list a Ramon Patterson Jr. in a 2023 arrest report, though it is not clear whether that entry refers to the same individual named in this week's wanted post. Investigators have urged residents to report suspicious activity as they continue to pursue networks tied to illegal narcotics distribution in the parish.
Legal note
Under Louisiana law, aggravated flight from an officer by vehicle is a felony defined and punishable under La. R.S. 14:108.1, with penalties that can include up to five years at hard labor and higher terms if the conduct results in serious injury, according to case law and statute. Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances falls under Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes and can carry substantial prison terms depending on the drug and quantity involved, per FindLaw.
