A Shreveport, Louisiana resident has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas.
Santana Deangelo Powell, age 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale handed down the 300-month sentence on December 9, 2025.
Court documents state that in February 2024, Powell was stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation while traveling to Houston and was found with a large sum of cash. He told officers he intended to purchase a vehicle with the money. Officers discovered a concealed compartment in his trunk, which was empty at the time but believed could be used for transporting drugs.
Later that night, Powell was again stopped for a traffic violation in Liberty County. A search revealed the previously empty compartment now contained approximately 20,000 methamphetamine tablets and over 100 grams of cocaine. Authorities also found a firearm inside the vehicle.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as "a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime."
The investigation involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and Mt. Enterprise City Marshal’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Quinn and Reynaldo P. Morin prosecuted the case.
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