Two men from East Texas have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in methamphetamine trafficking, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
James Robert Porter, 47, of Henderson, and Richard Lynn Sledge, 67, of Athens, both pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle sentenced Porter to 100 months in federal prison and Sledge to 30 months.
Court documents show that on April 12, 2023, Porter and Sledge sold 25.49 grams of methamphetamine in Henderson for $350. Later, on June 7, 2023, Porter sold an additional 51.2 grams for $625 in the same city. When authorities arrested Porter on July 10, 2024, they found another 24.04 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle and at his business.
The prosecution was part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
The investigation involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Henderson Police Department, and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek prosecuted the case.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America 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," stated U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
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