Morris James, 52, of Broussard, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison on drug-related charges.
U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown, in a news release, said James was sentenced by U. S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 42 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
The charge was the result of a traffic stop conducted by the Lafayette Police Department. James was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle during the traffic stop at approximately 2:20 a.m. on June 22, 2021.
During the search, officers recovered approximately 1.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine from a duffel bag located in the trunk of the vehicle.
The suspected narcotics were sent to the DEA Southeast Laboratory for testing and the results confirmed that the substance was cocaine with a net weight of 1503.5 grams.
James pleaded guilty to the charge of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine on Sept. 12, 2023.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla Bynog.
The investigation and conviction of James is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.