Houston Man Sentenced to 13 Years Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Traffick Cocaine from Houston to New Orleans
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that CRAIG JAMES, age 39, of Houston, was sentenced yesterday after having previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride and twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced JAMES to 156 months of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, JAMES, along with codefendants JOPPA JACKSON, LAZANDY DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON, JR., conspired to distribute cocaine in the New Orleans area. In 2015, JAMES traveled to New Orleans multiple times per month in order to deliver kilogram quantities of cocaine to his local customers, including JOPPA JACKSON, DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON. JOPPA JACKSON, DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON then sold the cocaine to users and other drug dealers in the New Orleans area.
JOPPA JACKSON pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride. Sentencing for JOPPA JACKSON is scheduled for October 5, 2017.
On June 14, 2017, a jury convicted LAZANDY DANIELS of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride and 27 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) (2counts), possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) (2 counts), and knowingly and intentionally distributing cocaine base (crack). Sentencing for DANIELS is scheduled for October 19, 2017.
LEON JACKSON pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine hydrochloride and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack). LEON JACKSON was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and Theodore Carter are in charge of the prosecution.