Ruston man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for role in cocaine conspiracy

SHREVEPORT, La. – U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Ruston man was sentenced Wednesday to 147 months in prison for his role in a cocaine conspiracy that stretched across north Louisiana and led to the seizure of more than $517,000 in cash and resulted in charges for seven defendants.

Shannon D’Lario Jenkins, 34, of Ruston, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 87 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking for a total of 147 months.  He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release.  According to the December 4, 2014 guilty plea, from June 2012 to July 2014, Jenkins along with Quincy D. Hoover, 40, and Quwanda L. Forest, 35, both of Natchez, La.; Jesse C. Thomas, 31, of Haynesville, La.; Rodney J. Raymond, 36, of Natchitoches, La.; Carlos C. Jenkins, 37, of Ruston, and Quincy J. Hobbs, 33, of Grand Prairie, Texas, conspired to distribute cocaine throughout Lincoln, Claiborne, Natchitoches, Sabine, DeSoto, Bossier and Caddo parishes with the source cities for the cocaine being Houston and Dallas.  Controlled purchases by law enforcement of cocaine powder and crack cocaine were made from several dealers during the investigation.  Federal and local law enforcement officials arrested five of the defendants on July 1, 2014, in the northwest Louisiana area, where more than $517,000 in cash, firearms, 16 pounds of marijuana and other items were seized.

Raymond was sentenced on March 26, 2015, to 97 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; Forest was sentenced on May 12, 2015, to 47 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy; and Carlos C. Jenkins was sentenced on June 2, 2015, to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release for one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.  Hobbs, Thomas and Hoover were sentenced on June 29, 2015.  Hobbs was sentenced to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiracy; Thomas was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy; and Hoover was sentenced to 108 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

“The U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our federal, state and local partners, is committed to keeping our communities safe,” Finley stated.  “Breaking up this drug distribution ring was a huge step in countering the flow of illegal substances into the community.  I want to thank all the agencies who partnered with us on this case and who continue to work to enforce both federal and state narcotics laws.”

The defendants were prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Pit Stop.  The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, ICE, ATF, Louisiana State Police, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ruston Police Department, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, Natchitoches Police Department, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier City Police Department, Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, all participated in this OCDETF operation.  The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources, and disrupting and dismantling of major drug trafficking organizations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Cowles Jr. and Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.