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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas announced that 15 members and associates of a South Arkansas drug trafficking organization (DTO), including two narcotics suppliers from the Los Angeles area, have been sentenced to a combined total of 1,591 months (approximately 132 years) in federal prison. Sentencing hearings, overseen by Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey, took place between August 2024 and May 2025 in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado, Arkansas. Federal sentences do not include the possibility of parole.
Court records detail that from August 2021 to August 2022, Christopher Walters, 45, of Magnolia, Arkansas, led a DTO responsible for distributing kilograms of methamphetamine throughout Columbia County. Walters sourced bulk methamphetamine from Michael Cummings, 46, a Southern California business owner who acted as an interstate narcotics supplier. Cummings employed Robert Leonne Morris, 47, of Los Angeles, to transport methamphetamine and other drugs to Arkansas, sometimes using rail transport. Walters coordinated with numerous local members for storage, transportation, and distribution of the drugs, sharing profits with Cummings.
On August 10, 2022, the FBI, alongside state and local law enforcement partners, executed search warrants at multiple properties tied to the DTO in Columbia County. The raids resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, over 15 firearms including tactical rifles, and thousands of dollars in cash.
Between September 2022 and March 2023, a federal grand jury indicted 15 DTO members and associates on 50 felony counts. All pleaded guilty to violations of the Controlled Substances Act and have received the following sentences:
| Defendant | Prison Term (Months) | Sentence Date |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Walters | 222 | December 6, 2024 |
| Michael Cummings | 162 | March 21, 2025 |
| Jvance Radford | 144 | August 22, 2024 |
| Joseph Lowe | 140 | August 12, 2024 |
| Robert Leonne Morris | 121 | May 21, 2025 |
| Lacadran D. Thomas | 120 | August 22, 2024 |
| Marcus S. Jordan | 110 | December 4, 2024 |
| Hendrick Johnson | 108 | September 11, 2024 |
| Dawnisha D. Jordan | 98 | August 7, 2024 |
| John L. Grissom | 97 | August 7, 2024 |
| Jarrod D. Wilson | 78 | March 20, 2025 |
| Nyterious L. Sharp | 60 | August 23, 2024 |
| Antonio J. Johnson | 54 | August 22, 2024 |
| Malaysia D. Benjamin | 41 | December 5, 2024 |
| Mario L. Meadows | 36 | May 21, 2025 |
Additionally, a $100,000 money judgment was imposed on Michael Cummings representing illicit profits from the drug conspiracy. This judgment is enforceable against his assets nationwide.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes highlighted the collaborative law enforcement efforts behind the investigation, which involved the Magnolia Police Department, 13th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Union County Sheriff’s Office, El Dorado Police Department, Arkansas State Police, and the FBI.
The case was prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which targets high-level criminal organizations through a multi-agency, intelligence-driven approach. For more information on OCDETF, visit www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related court documents are available on the Public Access to Electronic Records (PACER) system at www.pacer.gov.
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