Texan Sentenced To 48 Months In Prison For Part In Cocaine And Meth Distribution Ring

SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Laquon Ashton, 33, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in distributing cocaine and methamphetamine in Northwest Louisiana.
           
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea on July 2, 2013, Laquon Ashton admitted to conspiring with his mother Janette Ashton, Seneca Colbert, Brian Davis and others to sell cocaine and methamphetamine in the Mansfield and Shreveport areas from January 2012 to March 2012. Authorities used a confidential informant and recorded defendants making sales, conducting purchases and scheduling deliveries of illegal drugs.

Janette Ashton was sentenced September 26, 2013 to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  She pleaded guilty April 16, 2013.  Colbert was sentenced December 23, 2013 to 96 months in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Colbert pleaded guilty July 2, 2013.  Davis was sentenced 120 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Davis pleaded guilty November 4, 2013.

The defendants in this case were prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) “Operation Limpiar Casa.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Mansfield Police Department, and the Tri-Parish Task Force which includes DeSoto, Sabine and Red River Parishes, participate in the OCDETF program and conducted the operation.

The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook prosecuted the case.