BATON ROUGE, LA – Ashton Matta, 33, is headed for nearly two decades in federal prison after a sweeping conviction on gun, drug, and jail contraband charges, federal prosecutors announced Thursday. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles handed down a 228-month sentence to Matta, effectively burying him in the federal system for 19 years.
The case began to unravel on June 19, 2019, when a joint operation by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana Probation and Parole executed searches of Matta’s home and vehicle. Authorities found a sickening stash: 130.4 grams of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, alongside $34,650 in cash. But the haul didn’t stop there. In Matta’s vehicle, they discovered 459.1 grams of heroin, another 2.83 grams of fentanyl, a Zastava Serbia 7.62 caliber pistol, and a drum magazine loaded with 70 rounds of 7.62 ammunition. Matta quickly admitted to possessing the items and involvement in the drug trade.
The charges against Matta stacked up: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (he’d been convicted of attempted possession of oxycodone in East Baton Rouge Parish in 2018), possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and, adding insult to injury, possession of contraband *while already incarcerated*. This last charge stemmed from an incident on June 11, 2021, at the West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center.
WBRDC personnel conducted a routine search, walking inmates through a metal detector. When Matta passed through, the alarm screamed. A search revealed a black Alcatel cellular telephone hidden on his person – a clear violation of jail rules. This wasn’t just a phone; it was a lifeline to the outside world, likely used to continue criminal activity from behind bars. The phone was immediately confiscated as prohibited contraband.
Federal prosecutors didn’t mince words. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson successfully argued for the maximum sentence, emphasizing the danger Matta posed to the community and his flagrant disregard for the law. The court also ordered Matta to serve four years of supervised release after his prison term and ordered the forfeiture of the Zastava pistol used in his criminal enterprise.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal’s Office. This case serves as a stark warning: peddling poison and packing heat won’t pay in Louisiana, and federal agencies are watching. Matta’s long sentence should send a message to others involved in the drug trade – the consequences are severe, and justice will be served.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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