BR man found guilty of federal drug counts

A man facing murder charges in Baton Rouge state court was found guilty Wednesday in federal court on charges that he illegally possessed drugs and pistols in a home that also contained $19,000 in cash.

Reginald G. Youngblood, 34, remained in custody after the verdict by the jury of four women and eight men. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson immediately ordered a pre-sentence investigation of Youngblood, who has a prior state felony conviction for possession of cocaine.

Youngblood’s federal conviction is for possession with intent to distribute 79 hydrocodone pills and 200 grams of marijuana. Jurors also convicted him for possession of firearms in connection with a drug crime and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.

A charge of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute was stricken from Youngblood’s indictment by agreement of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert W. Piedrahita and Reginald E. Jones and defense attorneys J. Rodney Messina and Marci Blaize. Both sides concluded a cereal box containing the crack cocaine was not covered by a search warrant.

But Jackson refused to dismiss statements that Youngblood made after Baton Rouge police Detective Michael E. Burkett advised him of his Miranda rights during a search of his residence nearly two years ago.

Court records show Youngblood admitted there was a firearm and gallon-bag of marijuana in his bedroom. The same bedroom and its closet also contained the second pistol and the bottle of hydrocodone, for which Youngblood did not have a prescription. The hydrocodone, pistols and marijuana remained in Youngblood’s indictment.

East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies and police officers were looking for evidence of two murders in June 2010, when they searched Youngblood’s residence in the 10600 block of Willowood Drive.

Youngblood remains charged in state district court for his alleged first-degree murder in 2010 of Charles Matthews and Darryl Milton in the 1400 block of Monte Sano Avenue.

Youngblood also is charged in state district court for his alleged attempted murder of Malaeka Hulbert and Malcolm Reid. The murder and attempted murder cases are scheduled for hearings in July.