Career criminal convicted, faces 20 to life

A 38-year-old Lafayette man, already convicted of two attempted murder charges among other charges, notched his seventh career felony conviction this week, a move that could send him to life in prison.

Troy Jordan was convicted last Wednesday of possession of crack cocaine following a fall 2007 incident on Brownswitch Road near Slidell. Local prosecutors will try Jordan as a career criminal Nov. 24 in state district court Judge William Burris’ courtroom. If convicted he’ll face an additional 20 years to life for any sentence received for the crack possession conviction.

“We got a bad guy off the streets,” and it needs to stay that way, Rick Wood, spokesman for District Attorney Walter Reed said.

Under Louisiana law, defendants with three prior felony convictions are qualified to be tried as a habitual offender. Jordan more than qualifies with two times as many convictions, mainly associated with drugs, Rick Wood, District Attorney Walter Reed’s spokesman said.

Jordan’s latest conviction comes after an Oct. 3, 2007, incident when St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies started surveillance of a FEMA trailer suspected to house drug activity.

Eventually deputies cordoned off the house and three subjects emerged, one of which was Jordan. Seeing police, he dropped a bag filled with a white powder substance behind his back. It later tested positive for crack cocaine.

In 1996, Jordan was also charged and convicted of possession of cocaine. About the same time he was convicted of two counts of attempted first-degree murder. Since those cases were more than a decade old, authorities didn’t immediately have details..

Also in 1996, Jordan was convicted of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, Wood said.

In 2000, Jordan was again caught, arrested, charged and convicted of drug possession when authorities found on his person individual rolled baggies of marijuana for sale. He was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Four years later, Jordan lodged his sixth felony conviction when he was charged and convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Wood said.