SHREVEPORT – On June 26, 2026, Perry Willis, 37, of Natchitoches, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison after his guilty plea to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in connection with an eleven-person drug trafficking conspiracy operating in central Louisiana. “This significant sentence reflects the serious threat this organization posed to our community and the importance of dismantling high-volume illicit drug suppliers lurking in our midst,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This Office remains committed to protecting our communities and bringing these dangerous criminals to justice.”In 2023, the DEA launched an investigation into this drug trafficking ring operating across Louisiana and Texas.
Wire taps and surveillance identified Willis and his co-conspirator, Daniel Efferson, 33, of Natchitoches, as members of the network. The investigation escalated on August 16, 2024, when Louisiana authorities conducted a traffic stop of Efferson near the state line. Efferson, Willis, and Jaquez Flakes, 19, of Natchitoches, fled the stop, initiating a vehicle chase that ended in a crash. Agents recovered approximately nine kilograms of methamphetamine and twenty-four pounds of synthetic marijuana from the vehicle.
The crash led to further investigation in Houston, where agents seized 221.5 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, disguised as bottled water, and discovered a meth conversion lab with burners, pots, and 11 kilograms of processed methamphetamine. These seizures linked Willis, Efferson, Flakes, and 8 other co-conspirators to the same supply network. Others previously charged and sentenced in the case are: Daniel Efferson, 33, of Natchitoches — 360 months (30 years)Christopher Caffey, 37, of Shreveport — 262 months (over 21 years)Joshua Hardy, 32, of Shreveport — 151 months (over 12 years)Delannie Lee, 51, of Shreveport — 168 months (14 years)Crystal Williams, 36, of Mansfield — 60 months (5 years)Kellie Yates, 50, of Shreveport — 3 years’ probationAmadeo Penaloza-Meza, 22, of Mexico — 135 months (over 11 years)Brayan Sandoval, 22, of Mexico — 135 months (over 11 years)Jeffrey Flack, 51, of Shreveport — 120 months (10 years)The last remaining defendant, Flakes, will be sentenced in August of 2026. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Louisiana State Police, and multiple local law-enforcement partners investigated the case.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moody with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 5:24-CR-00256-10.###Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.govwww.justice.gov/usao-wdlaTwitter @USAO_WDLA