Police Find Drug Suspect Hiding Inside Dryer

JANUARY 22--A suspected cocaine dealer was found hiding “INSIDE the dryer in the kitchen area” when police Saturday raided a Louisiana residence, according to court filings.

Armed with search and arrest warrants, cops arrived at a Monroe home seeking to collar Darren Pittman, 26, who allegedly had been selling crack from the two-bedroom apartment.

Investigators were met by Myshella Smith, 19, who yelled several times that Pittman, her boyfriend, was not at the residence. Smith would subsequently be arrested for obstruction when she allegedly sought to keep officers from entering and searching the property.

Chade Johnson, 18, was also busted when he fought with police after arguing the “validity of the search warrant.” Charged with resisting, obstruction, and felony battery of a police officer, Johnson “put all officers on scene in great danger by interfering” with the execution of the warrants.

For his part, Pittman was not initially visible when cops arrived and tangled with Smith and Johnson. But the 766-square-foot apartment did not offer an abundance of places to hide.

In a probable cause affidavit, a Monroe Police Department officer said that cops had detected movement in the kitchen before entering the apartment. “Pittman was later located INSIDE the dryer in the kitchen area where officers had heard movement earlier,” reported Officer Serenity Smith.

Court filings do not detail Pittman’s height or weight or how he was able to squeeze into the dryer.

Facing felony and misdemeanor drug counts--in addition to warrants charging him with failure to appear in court in connection with two prior criminal matters--Pittman is locked up in lieu of $17,250 bond.

Smith and Johnson also remain in custody. (2 pages)