United States Chief District Court Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced three defendants from Tallulah, Monroe, and Shreveport to federal prison for firearm and drug trafficking offenses, according to a July 15 announcement by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. All defendants had previously pled guilty to their respective charges.
“The Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative lies at the heart of our Office’s mission to keep our Louisiana communities safe from senseless violence and illicit drugs, and these three cases reflect our Office’s commitment to that work across North Louisiana,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office tirelessly works alongside our federal and state partners to prosecute cases like this across the Western District’s 42 parishes, ensuring that our communities’ biggest disruptors are held accountable for firearm and drug trafficking crime.”
On July 7, Henry Holloway, 34, of Tallulah was sentenced to over five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. During a traffic stop conducted by Louisiana State Police due to an illegal window tint, officers detected marijuana odor, leading them to search the vehicle where Holloway was a passenger. Holloway admitted ownership of a backpack containing approximately 172 grams of marijuana, 15 grams of cocaine, two bottles of Promethazine, sandwich bags, a digital scale, and a loaded firearm with an extended magazine.
Also on July 7, Terrance Long, 52, of Monroe received over eight years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Officers executing a search warrant at Long’s residence found individually wrapped bags containing about 15 grams of crack cocaine along with a loaded Taurus handgun. Long admitted both ownership of the narcotics as well as distributing crack cocaine; he also acknowledged knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions.
On July 8 in Shreveport, Chamorea Bell, 30, was sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon plus three years supervised release following his sentence. Bell was stopped by police for a traffic violation; after detecting marijuana odor during the stop, officers searched his vehicle, discovering both marijuana and an illegally possessed firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Louisiana State Police (LSP), Shreveport Police Department (SPD), Madison Parish Sheriff’s Office (MPSO), and Monroe Police Department (MPD) investigated these cases, which were prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods—a nationwide initiative coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices aiming at reducing violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies.