By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE- Three residents of the River Region have been indicted on federal drug charges after a joint investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana State Police Narcotics.

These agencies are part of a special task force called Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which targets drug trafficking operations both in the U.S. and abroad.

According to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office out of New Orleans, Timothy Ivey, 34, a/k/a Tee, of Destrehan, Lamont Williams, 31, of LaPlace, and James Wallace 39 of LaPlace were indicted by a federal grand jury in addition to six others.

&#8220Williams, Wallace and Ivey are just three of nine defendants indicted on in the case that resulted in arrest warrants for 24 others,” said Jim Letten, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

&#8220All nine defendants, including Ivey, Williams and Wallace could face a minimum of 10 years in prison and up to $4 million in fines if convicted on conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base (crack),” Letten said.

The three men were also charged with using a telephone to facilitate the commission of a drug crime. If found guilty of the telephone charges, they could face an additional four years in prison and another $250,000 in fines.

The indictments have crippled the cocaine distribution organizations significantly.

Special Agent in Charge Bill Renton of the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force said, &#8220the fact that this investigation resulted in the complete dismantlement of a significant cocaine distribution organization, from wholesale and street level distributors in Metairie and Kenner to the Houston, Texas source of supply, clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and impact that can be achieved when federal, state and local law enforcement agencies pool their resources toward a common goal.”

It was determined after investigation that another suspect, Henry Gloston, would transport the drugs from Houston, Texas to Louisiana to sell to distributors.

The indictment paves the way for the case to go to trial where Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey K. Knight will prosecute the case.