St. John Parish undercover agent key player in methamphetamine distribution bust
Published 6:03 pm Thursday, October 12, 2023
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana has announced that a Gonzales man, Irving Bobby Mitchell, has been sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for his conviction on methamphetamine distribution charges. This announcement comes from U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr., and the sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles. In addition to the prison term, Mitchell will serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
As part of his guilty plea, Mitchell admitted to selling methamphetamine to a confidential source in controlled purchases that took place on Feb. 9 and Feb. 18, 2022. These transactions were closely monitored by law enforcement agents. Furthermore, on March 4, 2022, the source requested an ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $350 during a controlled phone call.
During one of these operations, an undercover agent from the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office accompanied the source to a meeting location, where they met with Mitchell inside a store to exchange methamphetamine. This encounter was recorded both audibly and visually, and after the exchange, Mitchell contacted the source to inquire about the agent.
Subsequently, on March 10, 2022, law enforcement agents organized another recorded, controlled purchase of methamphetamine involving the source and an agent. According to the information provided, this meeting occurred in Prairieville, where Mitchell distributed three ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $980.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, and St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office.