A Ville Platte man was sentenced Tuesday 10 years and seven months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook.
Closton John Melvin, 33, also known as “Git Money C” and “C.J.” pled guilty to the charged on Nov. 8, 2019.
Melvin also faces five years supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Melvin in a charged stemming from a multi-agency investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Melvin and 11 other co-defendants.
In November and December 2018, law enforcement agents made undercover purchases of methamphetamine and cocaine from Melvin. According to documents introduced in court, laboratory tests confirmed that the drugs sold by Melvin were 27.9 grams of cocaine and about 122 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement agents continued their investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Melvin and obtained authorization from the court to conduct a wiretap on Melvin’s cell phone that he used to organize narcotics transactions. During the interceptions, law enforcement agents intercepted calls wherein Melvin used his phone to coordinate methamphetamine distribution and he sold smaller amounts of other drugs including powder and crack cocaine.
This prosecution is part of a larger investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration through its Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force and Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The Louisiana State Police Narcotics Division initiated the investigation, and Special Agents with DEA, as well as Task Force Officers assigned to the Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force, completed the investigation. In addition to the above conviction and sentence, the investigation resulted in the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization in Ville Platte.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
