Clark McAlpin, 37, of New Orleans, is headed to federal prison for a decade after being sentenced Tuesday for his role in a sprawling methamphetamine-trafficking ring that flooded the city’s streets with high-purity drugs. McAlpin, who admitted guilt months ago, now faces 10 years behind bars followed by 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle handed down the sentence after McAlpin pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture, a charge under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846. The conviction marks another blow to a network that relied on mailed parcels to move bulk quantities of the drug into Louisiana.
Court documents reveal that as far back as 2016, McAlpin worked under co-defendant Steven Lyons, a New Orleans-based trafficker who routinely received shipments of methamphetamine via common mail carriers. McAlpin wasn’t just a courier—he actively helped distribute the drug across the metro area, fueling addiction and violence in already-struggling neighborhoods.
The investigation, led by the United States Postal Inspection Service, peeled back layers of secrecy surrounding how drug rings exploit the U.S. mail system. With assistance from the Louisiana State Police, Amtrak Police, and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, federal agents tracked packages, intercepted deliveries, and dismantled the operation piece by piece.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, who oversaw the prosecution, credited the multi-agency task force with cutting off a dangerous supply chain. “This sentence sends a clear message,” Evans said. “We’re watching the mail, we’re watching the streets, and we’re coming for every link in the chain.”
Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Long prosecuted the case, building a record that sealed McAlpin’s fate. With no plea for leniency accepted, McAlpin now begins a 10-year federal stretch—time bought by choices that poisoned communities and betrayed public trust.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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