Louisiana
Louisiana man gets 5 years in prison for counterfeit fentanyl pills found at Laredo hotel
LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – A Louisiana man has been sentenced to five years in prison after being caught with more than 2,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills at a hotel in Laredo, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Walter Wellington Somers, 41, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
On July 22, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison ordered Somers to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Prosecutors said Somers had a long record of arrests and planned to take the drugs back to Louisiana to sell for more money.
Authorities said the case began Dec. 23, 2023, when staff at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Laredo found what looked like drugs in a room while cleaning. They called police, who showed up and saw Somers trying to get back into the room. He told them he had broken a TV and came back to pay for it.
Inside the room, police found a silver bag full of small blue pills marked with “M-30.” A test later showed they contained fentanyl. In total, there were 2,319 pills. The pills were traced back to Sinaloa, Mexico, investigators said.
DEA officials said just two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly.
“DEA’s work in this case helped save lives,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell. “Somers had thousands of fake pills that could have hurt many people in the Laredo area.”
Investigators said Somers had traveled from Louisiana to meet a friend in South Texas. In messages between the two, they talked about collecting money and getting drugs. In one voice message, Somers was told that if he sent $700 or $800, someone would front them 3,000 pills. The friend also sent a video showing bags of the same kind of pills found in the hotel.
Somers will stay in custody until he is moved to a federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department worked on the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Chamberlin and Brittany Jensen.
The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which targets major drug operations in the U.S.
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Copyright 2025 KGNS. All rights reserved.
Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 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.
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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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.
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.
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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