Willie Shanderek Shavon Woodard, a former employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Monroe, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the sentence handed down by Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty, which also includes three years of supervised release.
The investigation began when law enforcement agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) identified suspicious packages being sent through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Monroe. On October 27, 2022, two suspicious packages destined for Monroe from California were intercepted by agents who found a total of ten pounds of methamphetamine inside.
In August 2023, USPIS agents intercepted another package intended for an abandoned house on Woodard's mail route containing approximately 2.2 pounds of marijuana. After removing the controlled substance, agents observed Woodard placing the package into a vehicle driven by one of his co-defendants on August 28, 2023. During a subsequent traffic stop, officers found the package and a Glock 19 pistol under the driver's seat.
Investigators discovered numerous messages between Woodard and his co-defendants discussing the addresses where packages had been sent in Monroe and additional communications where Woodard provided addresses on his mail route for receiving packages from California.
Woodard was charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, admitting his role in the conspiracy.
The case involved multiple agencies including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford and Special Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Semmes.
