A Louisiana man has received a stern 25-year sentence for drug trafficking and firearms violations, marking a substantial crackdown by the Eastern District of Texas. Santana Deangelo Powell, a 33-year-old from Shreveport, was handed down the quarter-century sentence today following his earlier guilty plea on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case against Powell, which led to his lengthy incarceration, unfolded after a traffic stop in February 2024. Initially stopping Powell for a routine traffic violation on his way to Houston, the law enforcement officers found a large sum of cash on him. Powell claimed the cash was to purchase a vehicle, but suspicions arose when an empty hidden compartment was discovered in his car's trunk. It was the type of space that might typically conceal drug shipments, something not lost on the officers. Later that same night, in Liberty County, Powell faced another stop. This time, officers found the previously empty compartment loaded with 20,000 methamphetamine tablets and upwards of 100 grams of cocaine. A firearm was also in Powell's possession, completing the damning tableau of drug trafficking paraphernalia.
As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Powell's sentencing is part of a broader governmental initiative. Dubbed 'Operation Take Back America,' the initiative pulls together DOJ resources to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and shield communities from violent crime.
This conviction showcases the shared efforts of several teams. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mt. Enterprise, Texas City Marshal’s Office collaborated in the investigation leading to Powell’s prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Quinn and Reynaldo P. Morin. "This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," as stated on the U.S. Attorney's Office.
