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Date: 06-02-2023
Case Style:
Case Number: 5:21-cr-00162
Judge: S. Maurice Hicks, Jr.
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (Caddo Parish)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office in Shreveport
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Shreveport, Louisiana criminal defense lawyers represented Defendants charged with conspiring to sell methamphetamine in the Shreveport area have all now been sentenced.
Frederick Cortez Walker, 33, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 292 months (24 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Felecia B. Walker, 50, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 270 months (22 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Mario T. Nash, 42, of Haughton, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Alana M. Taravella, 40, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 147 months (12 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging all four defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and each of them have pleaded guilty to the charge. Felecia B. Walker and Alana M. Taravella each also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In addition, five firearms were seized from Taravella and forfeited.
According to evidence presented to the court, beginning on or about March 1, 2021, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) begin an investigation into the suspect drug trafficking activities of these defendants. The DEA was able to obtain approval to intercept phone calls on Frederick C. Walker’s phone. Agents intercepted phone calls between Walker, Felecia Walker, and others, in which they discussed the purchase and sale of methamphetamine. Specifically, a call was intercepted by agents on June 14, 2021 wherein the Walkers discussed the shipment of methamphetamine in the mail via UPS. Agents were able to seize the package and discovered approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine.
On June 10, 2021, agents intercepted a call wherein Frederick Walker arranged to distribute methamphetamine to an unknown subject. Agents set up surveillance to monitor the transaction and after it was complete, conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. The driver was identified as Mario Nash. A search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 488.7 gross grams of methamphetamine which was located wrapped in plastic inside the center console of the vehicle. Mario admitted to agents that he had purchased the narcotics from Frederick Walker.
On June 22, 2021, a search warrant was obtained for Frederick and Felecia Walker’s residence. At their residence, officers located approximately 1042.2 gross grams of marijuana, 949.4 gross grams of methamphetamine, a Ruger AR-556, an assortment of magazines including extended magazines, ammunition, and digital scales. Felecia Walker admitted to agents during an interview that the methamphetamine would be mailed to her via the mail and then she or Frederick Walker would mail the money for the methamphetamine to the supplier. Felecia Walker would then distribute the narcotics as directed by Frederick Walker.
On June 23, 2021, a search warrant was obtained for Taravella’s residence and during the search, agents recovered a Taurus 709 Slim 9mm handgun, a DPMS A-15 firearm, over $8,000 in cash, methamphetamine, packaging materials, and digital scales. In the vehicle parked outside of Taravella’s residence, agents found a Taurus G2C 9mm with extended magazine and ammunition, a Taurus PT738 .380 firearm with magazine and ammunition, a stolen Sig Sauer P365 9mm firearm with magazine and ammunition and 325 gross grams of methamphetamine. Taravella admitted to obtaining methamphetamine from Frederick Walker and distributing it to others.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, and Louisiana State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille Gilreath.
Outcome: See above.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: