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Nine plead guilty in multi-state drug trafficking network

5 years 9 months 1 week ago Tuesday, June 19 2018 Jun 19, 2018 June 19, 2018 4:30 PM June 19, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Nine people involved in a multi-state drug trafficking network based in Ascension Parish have pled guilty after an extensive federal, state, and local investigation.

According to United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin with the Middle District of Louisiana, all nine were charged with significant drug
trafficking offenses involving cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin. The drug trafficking network was based in Ascension Parish, and operated in Texas and Mississippi.

Last week, the following individuals appeared before Chief Judge Brian A. Jackson and pled guilty for their roles in the network:

42-year-old Arthur Johnson, Jr. (a.k.a. "Nelson Howard," "Wood" and "Dread') of Hattiesburg, Miss., and CEO of "Ruff-n-Rugged Entertainment" in Geismar, La.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, crack cocaine, and 100 grams or more of heroin, and 16 counts of unlawful use of a communication facility.

52-year-old Lorenza Benitez Alday (a.k.a. "Old Woman," "Old Lady" and "Old Girl") of Gonzales, La.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, crack cocaine, and 100 grams or more of heroin and 4 counts of unlawful use of a communication facility.

42-year-old Tom Christmas III (a.k.a. "Bald Head" and "Tom Jr.") of Geismar, La.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, crack cocaine, and 100 grams or more of heroin and 4 counts of unlawful use of a communication facility.

45-year-old Rodolfo De La Cruz Alday of Gonzales, La.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

31-year-old Norberto Aaron Bejarano of Houston, Texas

  • Charged with 1 count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.

45-year-old Reginald Jackson (a.k.a. "Lemonhead") of Geismar, La.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine.

31-year-old Ramsey Everett (a.k.a. "Ram") of Hattiesburg, Miss.

  • Charged with 1 count of misprision of a felony drug offense.

33-year-old Stephen Keys (a.k.a. "Bad Ass") of Hattiesburg, Miss.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

42-year-old Sigmund Lewis (a.k.a. "Sig") of Hattiesburg, Miss.

  • Charged with 1 count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, Johnson Jr. was the organizer and leader of a drug trafficking organization, responsible for the distribution of multiple kilograms of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin in and around Hattiesburg, Miss. and Ascension Parish.

Tom Christmas was Johnson's second-in-command, supervising the criminal enterprise's daily activities and collecting proceeds from the illegal sale of drugs by lower-level members, including Jackson, Keys, Lewis and Ramsey.

Bejarano and others transported cocaine from Texas to the Aldays' residence in Gonzales. Thereafter, Lorenza and Rodolfo Alday supplied cocaine to Johnson for further distribution in and around Ascension Parish and Hattiesburg.

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