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11 indicted in two-year federal, local investigation into Central Louisiana drug cartel operations

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11 indicted in two-year federal, local investigation into Central Louisiana drug cartel operations


VERNON PARISH, La. (KALB) – Federal officials announced on February 9 that eleven people were indicted on ten counts of “Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled substance with Intent to Distribute” and two counts of “Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility” in connection with an alleged drug trafficking ring that operated across several Central Louisiana parishes, prominently based in Vernon Parish.

Those indicted individuals are:

  • Detrail Harris
  • Kameron Harris
  • Barry Pearson
  • Frank Coleman, Jr.
  • Earl “Nook” Thompson
  • Micheal Womack
  • Sevesta Sweet
  • Charles Jackson
  • Andrew Bulloch
  • Craig Hopkins
  • Buford “Dog Pound” Sawyer

The indictment follows a nearly two-year investigation originally initiated by the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office and later assisted by these other agencies:

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
  • Rapides Area Drug Enforcement Unit (RADE)
  • Department of Justice
  • Leesville Police Department
  • Alexandria Police Department
  • Louisiana State Police
  • Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office
  • Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office
  • United States Marshall
  • Pineville Police Department
  • U.S. Forestry Service
  • Army Criminal Division
  • Criminal Investigations, FBI New Orleans
  • Texas law enforcement
Left: Photos of Seized Contraband
Right: Logos of Agencies involved
(KALB)

Officials confirm law enforcement seized, through a search warrant, a total of one kilogram of cocaine, 25 pounds of meth, 2,000 fentanyl pills, $125,000 in cash and various gold bars. When questioned on the believed “street value” of the contraband, officials stated they could not create an estimate due to the unknown concentration of fentanyl within the substances.

According to court documents, law enforcement believes the alleged contraband distribution conspiracy began no later than July 11, 2024, and continued through to November 2, 2025, and ranged from the Central Louisiana region and spanning as far south as Lafayette.

“We know that those pills were going to be distributed throughout Central and South Louisiana. At a certain stage of this investigation, we executed search warrants on some of the residences of some of these alleged ‘DTO’ members, and we found those pills and we knew that from our intelligence gathering that those pills were going to be distributed between South and Lafayette, the Broussard area of Louisiana, all the way up to Central Louisiana.”

During a press conference, federal officials stated they believe the alleged ring was directly involved with South and Central American drug rings, directly naming the criminal “Gulf Cartel.”

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“Intelligence led us to one neighborhood gang here that used the Gulf Cartel as its supplier of deadly, illegal drugs,” said Jonathan Tapp, a special agent for the FBI office based in New Orleans. “We will fight the influence of these foreign organizations, and we will not let them gain a foothold in central Louisiana…We will combat them at their points of origin, at the border, and in our local communities.”

Special Agent Jonathan Tapp, FBI New Orleans
Special Agent Jonathan Tapp, FBI New Orleans(KALB)

An executive order passed by President Donald Trump in January 2025 labeled organizations such as the Gulf Cartel as terroristic and paved the way for the formation of the U.S. Homeland Security Task Force, a key proponent for the investigation.

“That task force was tasked with bringing the full investigative and prosecutorial resources of the United States to combat the influence of these foreign cartels,” Murphy explained.

“Mexican drug cartels and violent gangs don’t limit their activity to the big cities, but you can be sure that we are focused on these drug cartels and violent gangs wherever they are operating all over the country and the world.”

Involved sheriffs such as Rapides Parish’s Mark Wood, Vernon’s Sam Craft and Grant’s Steven McCain all emphasized the importance of having both state, local and federal officials involved in the investigation, labeling it as ‘extraordinary.’

“I’m hoping that the public will see the combined efforts of multiple agencies being involved in what it can do when everybody works together,” Craft said.

View the full indictment below:

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At least 8 children killed in shooting in Louisiana, US

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At least 8 children killed in shooting in Louisiana, US


Yasin Gungor

19 April 2026Update: 19 April 2026

At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.

Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.

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The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.

The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.

Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”

No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.

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‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers $2.8 billion

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‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers .8 billion


As Louisiana becomes a destination for multibillion-dollar technological investments in the rapidly-expanding data center sector, leaders, including President Trump and Governor Landry, have developed strategies to support that growth without



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Thinking of retiring in Louisiana? These are 5 best places to do so

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Thinking of retiring in Louisiana? These are 5 best places to do so


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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.

If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.

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In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.

The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche

These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.

1. Oak Hills Place

Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.

2. Westminster

Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.

3. River Ridge

River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.

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4. Westlake

Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.

5. Prien

Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.

Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com



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