A Tangipahoa Parish man has entered a guilty plea for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Ringo Mitchell Jr., 36, of Natalbany, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Mitchell Jr. faced Judge Barry Ashe on February 27, 2025, and the guilty plea pertains to three counts from the indictment. Count 1 implicates him in the wide-reaching conspiracy, for which he now faces a sentence ranging from 5 years to 40 years in prison, along with a fine of up to $5 million and at least 4 years of supervised release, according to details from the Department of Justice statement. The operations spanned until at least September 10, 2024, engaging electronic communications to facilitate their criminal activity.
The plea also includes a count of illegal use of a communications facility, carrying a possible 4-year imprisonment, and possession with intent to distribute a substantial quantity of methamphetamine, which could add another 5 to 40 years to his sentence, accompanied by similar hefty fines. Moreover, Mitchell Jr. is accountable for a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count.
In connection with Operation Take Back America, this arrest is a strike against the distribution of illegal drugs and a larger effort aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The initiative seeks to synergize operations from the OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods to combat violent crime and safeguard our neighborhoods.
Multiple law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation leading to Mitchell Jr.'s guilty plea, with accolades from Acting United States Attorney Simpson for the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit is handling the prosecution.
.jpg){kind=link}