A Los Angeles man, 52-year-old Lynden David Lightburn, also known as "Soulja," was sentenced to six years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation reaching Hawaii. Between September 2020 and June 2021, he supplied over 6.6 kilograms of fentanyl, 6.4 kilograms of heroin, and 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine to a Honolulu-based drug organization, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The group was co-led by Detroit natives Gabriel Antone Eberhardt and Jason Darnell Smith and was targeted in a multi-agency law enforcement operation. Lightburn’s sentencing stems from charges related to his involvement in the conspiracy to distribute these controlled substances, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As part of Operation Take Back America, federal agents made controlled drug purchases and executed 15 search warrants, seizing over 15 kilograms of drugs, seven firearms, ammunition, one vehicle, and more than $250,000 in cash. U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said, "Today’s sentence brings to a close years of collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners across multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies, as we worked tirelessly to bring down this large-scale, prolific, and dangerous drug trafficking operation." Lightburn was the last conspirator sentenced, following others including Eberhardt, who received 30 years, and Smith, who received 14 years. Each defendant will serve supervised release after their prison term, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
