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Caddo-Shreveport narcotics agents are continuing their investigation today into the dealings of a local businessman accused of selling marijuana on the side, said Sheriff Steve Prator and Police Chief Willie Shaw.

Agents said Billy Keckler was a mid-level dealer who received about six pounds of high-grade marijuana a week from a source in California and sold it to others from his property at 6930 Buncombe Road. Those who bought from Keckler either used the marijuana themselves or passed it on to others on the street.

On Tuesday, agents with the Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Task Force arrested Keckler on drug charges after executing a search warrant on his property. The warrant netted $200,000 in cash, 22 pounds of high-grade marijuana valued at approximately $96,000, and 28 grams of hash. Agents also seized 50 rifles and handguns, an RV, a boat, two vehicles, a bush hog, two trailers, and power equipment under the state’s asset forfeiture law.

Prator and Shaw said the marijuana seized by agents was well hidden in obscure locations throughout Keckler’s property. Twelve pounds of marijuana was found under a chicken house. About $150,000 was in a PVC pipe buried in the ground under barrels of chicken feed.

A Caddo Sheriff’s K-9 and the SPD SWAT team assisted with the search and execution of the warrants.

The Mid-Level Investigations Unit of the Task Force has been investigating Keckler for the past eight months. On Tuesday, they spent over 12 hours searching his property and recovering drugs and items believed to be purchased with illegal drug money.

Keckler, a local contractor, was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of hash, possession of firearms with a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a stolen firearm, and cultivation of marijuana.