Shamariay Duntae Locke, 36, of Haughton, Louisiana, has been sentenced on drug conspiracy and drug distribution charges, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced. Chief United States District Court S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Locke today to 48 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Locke was the lead defendant in a case that was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2020 in connection with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation: “Hustle City.” On September 20, 2021, Locke pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana, and two counts of distribution of marijuana. The charges stemmed from a long-term investigation by law enforcement officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other federal and local agencies into the distribution and selling of marijuana and methamphetamine in the Shreveport/Bossier City area.
Through their investigation, DEA agents received information that Locke and other co-defendants were possessing and distributing large quantities of marijuana to individuals in the north part of Shreveport. On two occasions in September 2017, agents observed Locke meet an individual in the parking lot of a local business parking lot and instruct him to get into another vehicle. On both occasions, they then drove to another location and the individual obtained from Locke approximately 3,915 grams of marijuana the first time, and 5,155 grams of marijuana the second time. However, at the sentencing hearing, the court found that these two instances were not the extent of Locke’s involvement in illegal drug distribution during the charged conspiracy which ran at least from January 2016 to August 2020.
Ladarrell Cortrell Washington and Schyler Algernon Smith were also charged in connection with this case and have each pleaded guilty. Sentencing for Smith has been set for April 5, 2022, at 2 p.m. Washington’s sentencing will be April 6, 2022, at 2 p.m.
Other defendants who were previously convicted and sentenced in connection with this case are as follows, Jeremy Richard Francis, Robert Lynn Baulkman, Danny Glen Roy Welch, Frank Gilford Joshua, Michael Shane Haynes, Henry A. Wright, and Arnelius Danta Terrell.
Rico DeAngelo Lawrence is the only remaining defendant charged in this case and is currently a fugitive. Lawrence is aware that he is wanted and should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached by non-law enforcement.
Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Lawrence, please contact Shreveport DEA Office at 318-676-4080 or the U.S. Marshal’s Service Violent Offender Task Force by contacting their office at 318-934-4300 or by using their online tip portal at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.
Federal agencies including DEA, Department of Homeland Security, ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, all worked jointly with the Louisiana State Police, Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier City Police Department, Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ruston Police Department, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, in conducting this investigation. The case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown.