Dale Phillips, Cocaine Distribution, Louisiana 2020

Dale Phillips, a 40-year-old resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, admitted to distributing 200 grams of cocaine in a federal drug trafficking operation that spanned the Gulf Coast. On August 12, 2020, Phillips entered a guilty plea before a U.S. District Court, copping to charges tied to a broader interstate drug network funneling narcotics from the Houston area into rural Louisiana communities.

The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.) and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. Authorities cracked the ring in May 2019, leading to the indictment of six individuals—including Paul Metz, Eugene Rudolph, Elbert Childs, Zyeta Rudolph, Yrian Devoure, and Phillips—under federal case number 19-087 “H.”

According to court documents, the smuggling pipeline used covert transportation routes and local distributors to flood the parish with high-grade cocaine, exploiting the region’s waterways and proximity to major highways. Federal agents conducted wiretaps, surveillance, and controlled buys before moving in on the suspects, seizing evidence that ultimately forced Phillips’ confession.

By pleading guilty, Phillips now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.00. In addition, he will be subject to three years of supervised release following incarceration and must pay a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2020.

The remaining defendants—Paul Metz, Eugene Rudolph, Elbert Childs, Zyeta Rudolph, and Yrian Devoure—are set to stand trial on October 13, 2020. Prosecutors allege the group operated as a coordinated cell, with Phillips playing a key role in offloading and distributing bulk shipments.

Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is leading the prosecution. “This guilty plea dismantles a dangerous drug pipeline that threatened public safety in Plaquemines Parish,” said U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser. “We’re sending a clear message: federal law enforcement is watching, and we will prosecute traffickers to the fullest extent of the law.”

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