Jury takes 13 minutes to find man guilty of dealing cocaine

A St. Charles Parish jury needed only 13 minutes to find a St. Rose man guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine on Monday.

Derrick Pierre, 28, was also convicted of possession of a firearm while possessing cocaine. Pierre faces between two and 30 years for the cocaine possession charge and five to 10 years on the firearm charge. Pierre, who will be sentenced on Dec. 13, will not have the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on either charge.

Additionally, the state intends to file a multiple bill on Pierre because he has a prior conviction for the possession of cocaine. He will face from 15 to 60 years on that charge as well.

Pierre was arrested on Feb. 1 after the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at his home. When police entered, Pierre allegedly threw an M&M candy bottle filled with 40 individually wrapped rocks of cocaine out of the kitchen window. The police say they located cocaine inside of Pierre’s pocket along with $842. Four digital scales and an additional $1,000 in cash were also seized.

All of the narcotics were tested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and determined to be cocaine, according to the St. Charles Parish District Attorney’s Office.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kim K. McElwee and Connie Aucoin.