Texas man sentenced to five years in prison for methamphetamine charges

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Houston man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for selling and possessing methamphetamine in the Lake Charles area.

Raymond Earl Neal, 26, of Houston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on one count of distribution of controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the March 24, 2016 guilty plea, Neal sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover informant for $1,900. Later that same day, he was stopped by police officers for a traffic violation. They found an additional 8.5 ounces of methamphetamine and a Smith & Wesson .9 mm semi-automatic handgun in Neal’s vehicle.

Homeland Security Investigations, Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.