Drug bust leads to arrest of man potentially accused of overdose death

A case that started as a missing person’s case turned into a homicide investigation. Today, the man accused of selling drugs to the victim, Shawn Rivas, 29, was arrested thanks to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics agents.

EBRSO’s narcotics was informed of an investigation into an overdose death from the Baton Rouge City Police Dept. dating back to July 22, 2021.

During BRPD’s investigation, officers found the victim’s decomposed body, who’s death was ruled an overdose, on the property where he was last seen purchasing and using drugs he allegedly purchased from Hakeem Allen, 27.

EBRSO said a friend of the victim gave a statement that he and the victim had purchased heroin/fentanyl from Hakeem Allen at 4707 Ford St. in Baton Rouge, which is where the body was later found. The friend advised the victim snorted the purchased heroin/fentanyl and wandered off. The friend stated that was the last time he saw the victim. The victim’s decomposed body was located weeks later at the same location.

“I don’t know what transpired that day but Hakeem is responsible for my son’s death,” said the victim’s mother Pam Rivas. “The fentanyl that came from my son’s system came from Hakeem. There was nothing in his system but fentanyl and caffeine from coffee.”

Hakeem Allen has not been charged with the overdose death of Shawn Rivas because that is a BRPD case so the Baton Rouge Police Dept. would have to charge Allen for Rivas’ death. EBRSO’s case was only on the alleged drugs.

Rivas’ mother said thanks to a friend who knew an EBRSO deputy, “East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office glued the pieces together and arrested Hakeem.”

Over the past two months, EBRSO’s narcotics agents kept their eyes on Hakeem Allen. Through the course of the investigation, agents conducted numerous recorded controlled purchases of fentanyl/heroin allegedly from Allen as well as conducted hundreds of hours of surveillance.

As a result, agents were able to get three search warrants for locations that Allen & other co-conspirators allegedly used to operate their drug distribution rings.

On October 4, 2022, EBRSO narcotics, EBRSO SCAT, K-9, Intel and Central PD executed all three search warrants.

While executing the search warrant at 5247 Paige St. (Salvation ministry of Jesus Christ), EBRSO said Allen ran and threw out a Glock handgun with extended magazine, 1.75 ounces of fentanyl and a ¼ pound of marijuana.

Allen was eventually arrested after a foot pursuit thanks to the EBRSO SCAT and K-9.

The following seizures and arrest were made as a result of this investigation.