LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – A Bunkie, Louisiana man will spend the next two decades behind bars after being convicted of trafficking methamphetamine. Damien Romain Lavalais, 42, received a 262-month (21 years, 10 months) federal sentence, followed by 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty in January to distribution of the highly addictive drug.
The case, spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), unfolded in July 2021 when undercover agents coordinated a controlled purchase with Lavalais. Agents documented Lavalais selling approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine – a sample later confirmed by crime lab analysis to be 98% pure. The bust is part of a larger effort to dismantle drug networks operating in the Western District of Louisiana.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, Courtney Nacol Smith, 48, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Smith’s conviction stems from a conspiracy spanning from August 2019 through January 2021, involving the distribution of narcotics throughout south Louisiana. DEA agents began investigating the organization in 2018, utilizing confidential informants and wiretaps.
Evidence presented in court revealed Smith supplied narcotics to co-conspirator Shawn D. White, who traveled from Louisiana to Texas to obtain a kilogram of cocaine. White was intercepted by law enforcement upon returning to Louisiana with the drugs concealed within his vehicle. Smith admitted to knowingly participating in the scheme to distribute the narcotics. The case was a joint effort by the DEA, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Louisiana State Police.
Adding to the string of convictions, Scotty Latiolais, 51, of Erath, Louisiana, received a 110-month (9 years, 2 months) sentence, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A search near Latiolais’s residence uncovered the weapon – discovered a day after a warrant was executed. This case highlights the continued focus on keeping firearms out of the hands of those legally prohibited from possessing them.
These cases are all part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, a multi-agency initiative designed to target and dismantle the most significant criminal organizations threatening the United States. The OCDETF program emphasizes a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach to combatting complex criminal enterprises. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Nickel, Daniel J. Vermaelen, and the presiding judges played crucial roles in securing these convictions, sending a clear message that federal authorities are aggressively pursuing those involved in drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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