Including hallucinogenic mushroom manufacturing

Two LaSalle Parish residents were arrested recently and among the illegal drug charges included the manufacturing of hallucinogenic mushrooms at a residence in Jena.

According to LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO) Detective Brant King, the arrests came after residence check of an individual by the Louisiana Probation and Parole.

“On Friday, March 8, a probation and parole agent attempting to conduct a residence check of William Blasingame, III on Cowart Street in Jena detected a strong odor of marijuana while standing at a garage door leading to the residence,” King said. “The agent heard someone inside but was unable to get anyone to open the door.”

The agent then contacted the sheriff’s office and requested assistance at the location. Deputies soon arrived and the door was finally opened by a female.

“A female, identified as Lainie Tingle, 43, of Trout, answered the door and entry was made into the home where William Blasingame, III, 40, of Jena, was found in the front bedroom,” the detective continued. “William verbalized that he had some marijuana but could not remember where it was.”

During the search of the residence, probation and parole located suspected marijuana, but that was not all the officers discovered.

“There were also numerous syringes containing a cloudy liquid substance, drug paraphernalia and several clear plastic baggies commonly used for packaging narcotics, found inside a toilet, along with a piece of aluminum foil containing a black tarry substance,” King said. “One of the baggies contained a clear liquid substance and was field tested yielding a positive result for methamphetamine.”

Officers also found a purse, identified as belonging to Lainie Tingle, that contained a blue round pill identified as Diazepam, located in a cigarette package, along with an orange cap containing a clear liquid substance.

The most unusual discovery by officers came when they searched a bedroom located in the back of the residence, where they found an electric dehydrator containing psilocybin (a hallucinogenic alkaloid) mushrooms, along with numerous other items consistent with the area being what law enforcement call a “grow room,” where illegal narcotics are grown.

Both Blasingame and Tingle were arrested and transported to the LaSalle Parish Jail where they were booked on numerous narcotic charges.

Blasingame was charged with possession of CDS II methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, possession of CDS I psilocybin mushrooms, manufacturing of CDS I psilocybin mushrooms, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of CDS I marijuana.

His bond was later set at $90,000.00 by the 28th Judicial District Court and he remains in custody for a probation hold.

Tingle was charged with possession of CDS II methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, possession of CDS IV Diazepam, possession of CDS I psilocybin mushrooms, manufacturing of CDS I psilocybin mushrooms and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Her bond was later set at $97,500.00 by the 28th Judicial District Court and she later bonded out of jail.