Lake Charles Man Sentenced to Prison for Seven Years on Drug and Firearm Charges

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Dexter Nash, 34, of Lake Charles, was sentenced February 6, 2020, by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr., to 24 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, to run consecutively. Judge Cain also sentenced Dexter Nash to three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Nash pled guilty to these charges on October 24, 2019.

According to information presented to the court, on May 4, 2017, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputies stopped Nash’s vehicle for a traffic violation and discovered that he was in possession of 35 grams of cocaine and $3,865 in cash. Officers secured a court approved search warrant of Nash’s residence and found an AK-47 rifle loaded with two 30 round magazines and a safe containing $2,461 in cash, a money counter, and an electronic hand mixer containing white powdery residue on the end. They also found a black backpack containing two digital scales, the key to the safe, a box of sandwich sized plastic bags, and several individually wrapped bags of powder cocaine totaling 192 grams.

Dexter Nash admitted to possessing between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine that he intended to distribute and that he intentionally possessed the AK-47 to use to advance his cocaine trafficking.

The FBI and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Vermaelen prosecuted the case.

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The year 2020 marks the 150^th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.