Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook has announced the conviction of Jaworski Batton and Cody Gibson, both residents of Heflin, Louisiana, in a federal court in Shreveport. The pair were found guilty of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, over 5 grams, in a case presided over by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote.
The court heard that Batton and Gibson participated in a conspiracy with co-defendant Demetric Carey to distribute methamphetamine. This case was part of a broader investigation carried out by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The DEA agents initiated their investigation following suspicions of drug trafficking activities in the Webster Parish area.
Court records reveal that communications were intercepted on Carey’s cell phone, providing evidence of the conspiracy. Surveillance by agents documented Batton's activities in Bossier City, where he was stopped by a Louisiana State Police Trooper and found with marijuana and methamphetamine.
Intercepted communications also involved Gibson discussing meetings with Carey for drug transactions in Minden. The Webster Parish Sheriff's Office obtained video surveillance of such transactions, capturing the exchange of money for methamphetamine. Numerous communications between these defendants over several months supported the ongoing distribution activities.
Batton and Gibson now face significant penalties of 5 to 40 years in prison, with potential fines up to $5,000,000. Their sentencing has been scheduled for July 15, 2025.
Ten additional defendants involved in this OCDETF case have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. The list includes Demetric Carey, Derrick Carey, Antario Hawk, Eugene Henderson, Damien Rasco, Dana Ray, Holly Reynolds, Corey Russell, Lloyd Smith, and Norell Washington.
This case was a part of an OCDETF initiative, which targets top-level criminal organizations through a coordinated law enforcement approach. The investigation was spearheaded by the DEA, Louisiana State Police, and Webster Parish Sheriff's Office, with J. Aaron Crawford and William C. Gaskins serving as the prosecuting Assistant United States Attorneys.
The OCDETF strategy focuses on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling significant drug traffickers and criminal entities that pose a threat to the United States, harnessing the combined resources of federal, state, and local agencies.