A St. Tammany Parish jury has found John Silas Joiner, Jr., 46, of Covington, guilty on 15 counts including narcotics possession, weapons violations, flight, and resisting arrest, according to District Attorney Collin Sims.
Trial and Conviction
Joiner was convicted following a four-day trial before Judge Richard Swartz. As a convicted felon on parole at the time of the offenses, he now faces a mandatory life sentence. His sentencing is scheduled for July 8.
First Law Enforcement Operation
The conviction stems from two separate law enforcement operations in 2023. The first occurred in January when St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Joiner. During the stop, Joiner allegedly resisted arrest, struck a detective with his elbow, and briefly fled on foot before being apprehended.
Authorities found a large quantity of drugs and weapons in the vehicle, including 450 dosage units of fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, a digital scale, brass knuckles, and an AR-style 9mm pistol with a 50-round drum magazine.
Second Operation and Co-Defendant
The second operation took place in September 2023, after law enforcement intercepted a jail video call between Joiner and his co-defendant, Amanda Flocke, 40. The video allegedly showed Flocke counting thousands of fentanyl pills at a kitchen table in the presence of minor children.
A search warrant executed at their Mandeville residence uncovered 2,746 dosage units of counterfeit blue fentanyl tablets, crystal methamphetamine, pharmaceutical pills, and a garage setup used to press fraudulent ecstasy tablets.
Flocke previously pleaded guilty on May 8 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced by Judge Swartz to 30 years in the Department of Corrections.
