Defendant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Operation Third World Targeting Drug Trafficking Organization

United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced KELLY D. WILLIAMS, age 43, of Zachary, Louisiana, to 262 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of crack cocaine and oxycodone, conspiracy to acquire controlled substances by fraud, and unlawful use of a communication facility.  The Court also sentenced WILLIAMS to 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.  The court also ordered a judgement of forfeiture in the amount of $1,020,340.00.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, WILLIAMS conspired with numerous individuals to obtain, distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, large quantities of cocaine in excess of five kilograms and did conspire knowingly and intentionally to acquire and obtain possession of controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud and deception. 

As part of the conspiracy, WILLIAMS purchased multi- kilogram quantities of cocaine and distributed various amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine to his co-conspirators for further distribution in the Baton Rouge area.  WILLIAMS also used violence and the threat of violence in order to advance the conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Violent drug dealers have no place in our communities. Our office will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that those who peddle drugs and violence will be kept off of our streets. I want to thank our prosecutors, and our federal, state, and local partners for their efforts.”

DEA Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Arnett said, “Cocaine and crack cocaine destroy lives and have far-reaching negative effects in the communities where they take hold.  Side by side with our local law enforcement partners, DEA is holding drug dealers accountable.  Together, we are putting dealers where they belong – behind bars.  Let this conviction be a clear message to all that if you distribute drugs in this region, you will be identified, investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers.  Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.  The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. 

Operation Third World was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Baton Rouge City Police Department, the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gonzales Police Department, and the Baker Police Department.  This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kleinpeter,  who also serves as a deputy criminal chief.