Monroe man sentenced to 5 years in prison for cocaine distribution

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a man from Monroe was sentenced Tuesday to 60 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

Robert L. Smith, 43, of Monroe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to the July 6, 2016 guilty plea, police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Smith was driving on September 3, 2015. Instead of stopping the vehicle, a chase ensued with Smith’s vehicle reaching speeds of up to 90 mph before becoming snarled in traffic. During the pursuit, he tossed two bags into the Ouachita River. Upon arrest, police found $4,574, two boxes of shogun shells and a box of plastic bags. The bags thrown into the river were located, and 111 grams of crack cocaine and 96.6 grams of powder cocaine were inside them.

The DEA and the West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.