Nine individuals have been sentenced to a combined total of over 79 years in federal prison following their involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. This announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, marking the conclusion of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation in the Avoyelles Parish area.
The sentences were handed down by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell and are as follows:
- Darrell Joseph Sampson, Jr., 39, from Marksville, Louisiana, received 113 months for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Christopher Glynn Bradford, 46, also from Marksville, was sentenced to 50 months for similar charges.
- Travis Demond Carroll, 34, from Baton Rouge, was given a sentence of 180 months.
- Kelly Johnson, Jr., 32, from Lake Charles, received a sentence of 90 months.
- Troy Wayne Dominick, 42, from Mansura, was sentenced to 80 months.
- Arthor Francisco, 37, from Moreauville, received a sentence of 160 months.
- Desmond Dewayne Jordan, 46, from Alexandria was sentenced to the longest term at 225 months.
- Joseph Patrick Murray III, 27, from Cottonport received a sentence of 37 months.
- Tremayne Lee Lavalais, 34, from Bunkie was sentenced to the shortest term at 20 months.
Following their release from prison each defendant will serve a term of supervised release.
The investigation into this drug trafficking organization began with the FBI Central Louisiana Gang Task Force. Surveillance operations revealed drug transactions among the defendants. Wiretaps authorized on phones used by the group led to intercepted communications discussing narcotics trafficking between January and September of 2023. The methamphetamine distributed by this organization was sourced from Houston and distributed throughout central and south Louisiana.
This case was investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys John W. Nickel and LaDonte A. Murphy prosecuted the case.
The OCDETF initiative aims to identify and dismantle high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations through collaboration between federal state and local law enforcement agencies.