Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine by Lafayette Man Leads to 13+ Year Federal Prison Sentence

LAFAYETTE, La. - Forrest Kevin Dwayne Matthews, 39, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has been sentenced on drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Matthews was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 160 months (13 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On June 2, 2022, detectives with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office Intelligence Unit assisted the New Orleans Police Department in locating Matthews in connection with an armed robbery investigation. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office detectives located Matthews at his residence in Lafayette and took him into custody. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and officers found and seized approximately 1,756 grams of methamphetamine, a Harrington & Richardson .22 caliber revolver, 4 grams of heroin, 4 grams of crack cocaine, a digital scale and measuring cups located in a black duffle bag and a backpack. In addition, officers discovered 6 grams of marijuana in the kitchen drawer and a Taurus 9mm handgun in the master bedroom closet. Matthews admitted to law enforcement officers that the items found and seized belonged to him.

The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing and was verified to be methamphetamine with a combined net weight of 1,696 grams. Matthews pleaded guilty to the charge on December 7, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.

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