A Port Arthur resident, Paris Lynn Bennette, 55, has been sentenced to 235 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 6, 2026.
Court records indicate that law enforcement received information in 2024 about Bennette’s involvement in distributing illegal drugs in the Eastern District of Texas. On July 30, 2024, officers observed Bennette speeding and initiated a traffic stop. He attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended nearby. During the incident, a police canine alerted officers to narcotics inside Bennette’s vehicle. A subsequent search uncovered a gallon-sized bag containing about one kilogram of methamphetamine.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration along with the Port Arthur Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee prosecuted the case.
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