COVINGTON — Two men were recently sentenced to jail in St. Tammany Parish in two separate cases. One of them was sentenced to 80 years for fentanyl trafficking, and the other will serve 30 years for failing to register as a sex offender after a 2004 conviction.
Both men were noted to be multiple offenders.
Man sentenced for fentanyl trafficking
A St. Tammany Parish Jury recently convicted James Spikes Jr., of Bogalusa, on felony charges related to fentanyl trafficking and illegal weapons possession, according to District Attorney Collin Sims. Spikes was sentenced this week to 80 years in prison without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence for those convictions.
The case originated from a traffic stop by deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 18, 2024, along Highway 36 in Covington. A deputy stopped Spikes and during the stop, deputies recovered brass knuckles from the man. Deputies then searched his vehicle, which led to the discovery of a backpack containing a concealed container with 963 fentanyl pills, totaling approximately 135 grams.
During his trial, jurors were shown undercover videos as evidence of Spikes’ involvement in narcotics distribution. In one of the recordings shown to the jury, Spikes was heard boasting that he could obtain as many as 30,000 fentanyl pills.
On July 15, a judge sentenced Spikes to 80 years for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more but less than 250 grams of fentanyl. In addition, he sentenced Spikes to 20 years in prison for carrying a concealed weapon (brass knuckles) by a person convicted of certain felonies. Both sentences are to be served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, and will run concurrently.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Spikes was officially adjudicated as a fourth felony offender, which means that sentences are often harsher due to a criminal history.
“Fentanyl is a poison that continues to threaten the safety of our families and our community,” DA Sims said. “This defendant was trafficking a significant quantity of these deadly pills while armed with brass knuckles – an illegal weapon in the hands of a convicted felon. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who bring these dangerous substances into our district, and this 80-year sentence ensures a habitual offender will no longer endanger our streets.”
Sentencing of man who failed to register as a sex offender
On July 15, a judge sentenced 59-year-old Howard Lindsey Jr., of Lacombe, to 30 years in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Lindsey was sentenced as a multiple offender following a jury conviction for failure to register as a sex offender.
Lindsey’s requirement to register stems from a March 31, 2004, conviction for Attempted Forcible Rape in St. Tammany Parish, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Following his release from prison, Lindsey failed to comply with his legal obligations and was arrested again in February 2017 for failing to satisfy the Notification of Sex Offenders and Child Predators statutes. He was convicted of that violation and received another 10-year prison sentence, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Lindsey remained in prison until December 16, 2023. Two days later, on December 18, 2023, he reported in person to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO) Sex Offender Registry to complete his post-incarceration registration, listing his residence in Lacombe.
While there, registry staff noted that Lindsey became argumentative, claiming he was no longer a sex offender and was not required to register. He refused to listen as deputies explained his continuing legal obligations, including providing a mandatory Verification of Address and paying the state-mandated fees required to complete his Community Notification. Registry workers instructed Lindsey to return by Jan. 8, 2024, with his completed compliance materials and documentation.
Within days of his initial release, the STPSO Sex Offender Registry was advised that Lindsey had already relocated to an apartment in Lacombe. Due to holiday office closures, staff told Lindsey to contact the office on the morning of Dec. 27, 2023, to officially update his address and receive adjusted community notification instructions for his new location.
Lindsey did not contact the office that day, neglected to report for his mandatory compliance date on Jan. 8, 2024, and made no other efforts to correct his status or notify neighbors of his presence. His failure to complete these tasks violated the law that mandates that sex offenders strictly update changes of address in person and fulfill all community notification requirements.
“When a convicted sex offender openly refuses to follow the law, downplays his offenses, and hides his whereabouts from law enforcement, he presents an immediate risk to public safety,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “This 30-year sentence sends a clear message that we will hold non-compliant offenders fully accountable.”
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