Montgomery police announce drug trafficking arrest

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Montgomery Police Department held a news briefing Friday afternoon to announce a drug arrest.

Capt. George Russell, commander of MPD’s special operations division, explained that a traffic stop in the area of Gibbs Village Friday morning led to the discovery of approximately 9.5 pounds of marijuana and a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. He said this led to information that someone was transporting a “large quantity of narcotics in the city of Montgomery.”

They identified this suspect as 29-year-old Lavonte Conn, who was spotted by a surveillance team in the 1300 block of Eastern Boulevard. SWAT and gang unit officer tried to stop him. Russell said Conn tried to drive away, but officers stopped his attempted escape.

Russell said they found 436 grams of fentanyl, 226 grams of marijuana and a stolen 9 mm handgun in his vehicle. He said they determined the gun was stolen during an armed robbery in another jurisdiction.

He said Conn was also out of bail for charges on receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and attempting to elude. He said they are working with the district attorney’s office to file for a bail revocation hearing.

Russell said Conn now faces new pending charges of drug trafficking, first-degree possession of marijuana, second-degree receiving stolen property and certain people forbidden to carry a firearm.

Police Chief Darryl Albert also spoke on the arrest, with a special note about the fentanyl.

“It’s the poison that’s on our street. It’s the poison that our men and women respond to when folks are passed out on the side of the road and in abandoned places. It’s this poison that’s hurting our children,” Albert said.

Sign up for the WSFA Newsletter and get the latest local news and breaking alerts in your email!

Copyright 2023 WSFA. All rights reserved.