LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY) — Three men, one from Eunice and two from Calcasieu Parish, were senctenced to federal prison Wednesday for drug and weapon offenses, authorities said.

United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of three cases in the Lake Charles Division. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the following defendants yesterday:

• Dexter Oniel Mayes, 36, of Eunice, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Mayes pleaded guilty May 9 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Casey Soldier, 27, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the unlawful shipment, transfer, receipt, or possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
• Harris J. Boudreaux, 43, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Soldier’s charge stems from the discovery of 16 firearms, 3,350 rounds of ammunition and a dual drum magazine, all found in Soldier’s residence during the execution of a search warrant. In addition, officers found and seized approximately 53 pounds of marijuana, 171 pounds of THC candy and edibles, 3.9 pounds of THC wax and oils, $25,284 in cash and other documents from Soldier’s residence.

During a search of Soldier’s truck which was parked outside of the residence, agents found an additional Glock 17 pistol. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives learned that the firearms were taken across state lines and operated as firearms. Soldier was a convicted felon and was prohibited from having any firearm or ammunition in his possession. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 22.

Mayes’s sentence stems from a traffic stop which was conducted on Mayes’ vehicle for a switched plates violation on May 18, 2019, as he was traveling from Houston to Louisiana. As officers approached the vehicle, they smelled the odor of marijuana and both Mayes and his passenger were detained while officers searched the vehicle. Inside the trunk were 12 ziploc bags containing suspected methamphetamine which weighed approximately 25 pounds. The narcotics were sent to the DEA Laboratory for analysis and were confirmed to contain methamphetamine with a total weight of 11,867 grams.

On Nov. 27, 2022, a U.S. Probation Officer made an unannounced visit to Boudreaux’s residence in Calcasieu Parish to monitor his compliance with his probation and to verify his residence. During the inspection, the Probation Officer observed a Glock 45 firearm in plain view. The Probation Officer secured the firearm and contacted 9-1-1 to have Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrive to arrest Boudreaux, who admitted to the Probation Officer that the firearm belonged to him. Boudreaux pleaded guilty on June 21 and admitted that he possessed the firearm knowing that he was prohibited from doing so because he was a convicted felon.