Five members of a drug trafficking organization have been sentenced for federal crimes related to methamphetamine distribution in the Holdenville area. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced these sentences following an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Winston Levert Hanks, Jr., 44, from Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 324 months in prison with five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy. Christian Eugene Dewayne Duckworth, 24, also from Holdenville, received an 18-month sentence and three years of supervised release for money laundering conspiracy. Zechariah Odie Hanks, 42, was sentenced to 210 months with five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy. Jolene Rogers, also known as Jolene Copeland, 47, received a sentence of 70 months and three years of supervised release on similar charges. Alberto Rafael Mendez Lizarraga, 35, from El Centro, California, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and one year of supervised release for misprision of a felony.
The case stems from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau Narcotics (OBN), U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Investigators revealed that between November 2022 and October 2023, the defendants conspired to acquire and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in Holdenville. In February 2023, USPIS intercepted a parcel containing approximately 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine addressed to a residence in Holdenville. This led to further discoveries between February and July that documented six parcel drops delivered via U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail.
The parcels were shipped from Calexico and El Centro in California by Lizarraga and others under unique identifying trackers directed towards addresses in Holdenville where they were retrieved by Rogers and Duckworth before delivery to Winston Hanks.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Winston Hanks on July 17, where he was found possessing multiple firearms.
Kai Pickens from USPIS stated: “Today we take a significant step in our ongoing fight against the distribution of illegal drugs... We are committed to protecting public safety.” Eduardo A. Chávez from DEA Dallas Field Division emphasized: “Drugs... have no place in our neighborhoods.” OBN Director Donnie Anderson noted: “My agency is committed to targeting organized crime that threatens the safety...” United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson added: “Identifying... remains a priority.”
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III presided over the hearings at the Eastern District Court of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S Attorneys Richard J Lorenz and Patrick M Flanigan represented the United States during these proceedings.
