A 17-year sentence has been handed down to a Groves man for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking operation in the Eastern District of Texas.
Darrus Dugas, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 19, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in May 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Dugas’ Groves residence because of reported drug activity. The search resulted in the discovery of various illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine and cocaine, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and over $13,000 in cash. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Dugas and Alvaro Montrell Bethea.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the federal government 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.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Port Arthur Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee.
Dugas’ sentence marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas is dedicated to protecting the citizens of this district from the scourge of drug trafficking and violent crime.
Related Federal Cases
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- Christopher M. Liscio, Oxycodone and Cocaine Trafficking, Connecticut 2020 · Connecticut
- Tanner Jo Halverson-Weese, Meth Trafficking & Gun Charges, Iowa 2021 · Texas
- Rick Ray Garcia, Meth Trafficking, Montana 2020 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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