Violent Felon Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking

BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced JERMAINE J. CHAPMAN, also known as “Dump Truck,” age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 45 years in prison and ten years of supervised release.

CHAPMAN was sentenced following his conviction by a jury for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute two hundred eighty grams or more of cocaine base and five or more kilograms of cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute twenty eight grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of five hundred grams or more of cocaine; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and twenty eight grams or more of cocaine base; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; distribution of twenty eight grams or more of cocaine base; possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base; distribution of two hundred eighty grams or more of cocaine base; and possession with the intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of cocaine.

The conspiracy involved multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine being transported from Texas and the use of various residences in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, known as “click” houses, to cook and distribute multi-ounce quantities of “crack” cocaine.  The conspirators employed violence and firearms to protect their business.

U.S. Attorney Green stated:  “Today’s sentencing should serve as a wakeup call for those violent drug traffickers seeking to do business in this district.   Such activity will not be tolerated and severe punishment will follow.  This office will continue to work with the DEA, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and our other federal, state, and local partners to ensure that our communities are controlled by their honest, hardworking residents, not drug dealers.”

DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph W. Shepherd stated:  “The message to drug dealers in the Greater Baton Rouge area is simple – DEA, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal, state, and local partners, will use every resource available to make life for you as unpleasant as the poison that you attempt to peddle to our community.  This is just the beginning.”

CHAPMAN’s co-defendants, Jeffery D. Perry, age 32 and Charles Boyer, age 51, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were also convicted by a jury.  They are detained and await sentencing.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Baton Rouge City Police.  This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Piedrahita and J. Christopher Dippel.