Jennings Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Leading a Regional Drug Trafficking Network in Louisiana
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced that U.S. District Judge James D. Cain sentenced Marty James Wilridge, 46, of Jennings, on October 19 to 324 months (27 years) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Wilridge had pleaded guilty on July 24, 2026.
According to court documents, investigators began monitoring a drug trafficking organization operating in the Jennings area in early 2024 and identified Wilridge as a central participant. Evidence showed he used multiple phones and associates to move large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana through various stash houses. In January 2025, officers searched a co-conspirator's residence and seized more than 1,500 grams of methamphetamine, nearly 1,000 grams of cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and other items, which evidence showed Wilridge supplied. Wiretaps further revealed his role directing drug deals, collecting debts and overseeing daily operations, and surveillance showed he assaulted an associate over a debt.
On August 13, 2025, after tracking Wilridge's travel between Texas and Louisiana, officers stopped his vehicle and found more than 1,500 grams of cocaine and four cellphones. An August 16, 2025, search of his residence recovered nearly $35,000 in cash and a handgun. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller made the announcement.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于路易斯安那州 Lake Charles 的 Calcasieu Parish 法院大楼。照片：CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The Calcasieu Parish Courthouse in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
