Bastrop residents plead guilty to drug, firearm charges

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Cortez Demoria McWilson, 29, and Troydarius Jamal Jackson, 29, both of Bastrop, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty to drug and firearm charges.

According to the guilty pleas, a Louisiana State Police trooper encountered McWilson and Jackson in a vehicle on September 11, 2017 in Bastrop.  As the trooper approached the vehicle, in an attempt to speak to the defendants, McWilson started the vehicle and drove off, prompting a pursuit of the vehicle by the LSP trooper and other law enforcement officers.  Eventually, the vehicle stopped and McWilson and Jackson fled the area but were later apprehended.  A law enforcement officer searched the vehicle and found a GSG, Model 522, .22LR-caliber rifle and ammunition on the front passenger seat.  Also on the front passenger seat was a grocery bag containing methamphetamine, Xanax, marijuana, clear plastic baggies and a digital scale with marijuana residue on it.

Jackson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  He was previously convicted for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance in 2013, for perjury in 2012, and for possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in 2015.  Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

McWilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances.  He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for drug conspiracy.  Jackson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearms charge.  They both face three years of supervised release.  Doughty set the sentencing date for August 7, 2019.

The ATF, Louisiana State Police and Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.