By Brendan McCarthy
The New Orleans Times-Picayune
NEW ORLEANS, La. — New Orleans police detectives conducting a raid Wednesday morning found their two targets sleeping soundly in bed, cuddled up with an assault rifle and a revolver, apparently having fallen down on the job of guarding the cash and the crack cocaine.
Willie Carter, 27, nuzzled a Bushmaster assault rifle. His cousin Samuel Carter, 20, lay in bed with a revolver between his legs, according to police.
Another associate, Brandon Spencer, 17, was unarmed and unaware when the detectives barged in with a warrant.
An informant’s tip led a trio of 2nd District detectives to the Carter residence in the 1700 block of Elysian Fields Avenue, Detective Kevin Imbraguglio said. The investigators received word that the men were dealing guns and drugs. Imbraguglio, Detective Berwick Nero and Sgt. Christian Hart and State Police troopers made an undercover drug buy over the weekend.
They returned Wednesday about 8:45 a.m. with a warrant. Inside, investigators recovered 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana, 24 grams of crack cocaine, some scales and drug-cutting equipment. They also found an assault rifle, a shotgun and three handguns.
Detectives also recovered $5,144 from the home.
Spencer and the Carter cousins were each charged with possession of illegal narcotics and five counts of illegal possession of firearms. Police said the three likely will also face federal charges.
Copyright 2007 The New Orleans Times-Picayune