Monroe Man Robert L. Smith Gets 5 Years for Cocaine Dump

Robert L. Smith, 43, of Monroe, Louisiana, is headed to federal prison for five years after being caught red-handed in a high-speed bid to ditch 207 grams of cocaine into the Ouachita River. The 60-month sentence, handed down Tuesday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr., follows Smith’s guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

The chase began on September 3, 2015, when law enforcement moved to pull over the vehicle Smith was driving. Instead of complying, he slammed the gas—racing at speeds up to 90 mph through city streets before getting tangled in traffic. As cops closed in, Smith hurled two plastic bags into the river. The DEA and West Monroe Police Department weren’t buying the escape act. They recovered the bags, which held 111 grams of crack cocaine and 96.6 grams of powder cocaine.

After being taken into custody, officers searched Smith and found $4,574 in cash, two boxes of shogun shells, and a stash of plastic bags commonly used to portion out narcotics. Prosecutors argued the evidence painted a clear picture: Smith wasn’t just carrying drugs—he was operating a distribution setup.

U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley made no apologies in announcing the sentence. “Robert Smith chose to flood our streets with crack and powder cocaine,” she said in a statement. “He thought he could outdrive and outsmart law enforcement. Instead, he’s going to federal prison for five years.”

The investigation was a joint effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Monroe Police Department, a collaboration that’s become a staple in cracking down on open-air drug trade in northern Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. handled the prosecution, securing the conviction without a trial.

Smith will serve 60 months behind bars followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence underscores the federal government’s relentless focus on drug traffickers using public waterways as dumping grounds—a tactic that doesn’t wash in court.

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