A St. Tammany Parish jury found a Slidell man guilty Thursday of second degree murder, distribution of heroin, possession with the intent to distribute heroin and possession of Suboxone.
39-year-old Joseph Laue, of Slidell, Laue faces mandatory life imprisonment when he is sentenced Oct. 9 by District Judge Martin Coady.
Officers responded to the scene of a drug overdose in Slidell on August 25, 2015 and discovered that Albert Morant, 24, had died of a heroin overdose.
An investigation by the Slidell Police Department determined that Morant had purchased the heroin from Laue. During the months-long investigation, officers learned Laue was dealing heroin in his Slidell neighborhood with such regularity that every time the police went to the neighborhood for surveillance, they witnessed him selling narcotics. Undercover officers observed two separate hand-to-hand transactions in September 2015 and in November of 2015, during which Laue sold heroin to multiple individuals.
In a statement to the police, Laue admitted to being a middle man, making trips to New Orleans to provide heroin for his customers in Slidell.
The state offered evidence of Morant’s tragic overdose, as well as the testimony of one of Laue’s former clients, who has successfully completed the Drug Court program in the 22nd Judicial District Court.
Morant’s family members were present for the duration of the week-long trial. They said they hope the awareness of this case can save the life of another person who is struggling with an addiction and also serve as a warning for drug dealers who exploit and profit from those addicted to heroin.
The case was investigated by the Slidell Police Department’s Narcotics Division and was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Holly McGinness and Michael Cochran.
