SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Four individuals from Shreveport and Haughton were sentenced in federal court on charges they conspired to sell methamphetamine in the Shreveport area.
According to a media release from the United States Attorney of Louisiana’s Western District, an investigation into the group’s narcotic activity started around March 1, 2021, by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
The DEA received approval to intercept phone calls on 33-year-old Frederick C. Walker’s phone.
Agents intercepted calls between Walker and his co-conspirators, 50-year-old Felecia B. Walker, 42-year-old Mario T. Nash, 40-year-old Alana Taravella as well as others.
During the calls, federal agents heard the purchase and sale of methamphetamine discussed.
On June 10, 2021, Walker arranged to distribute meth to an unknown person. Agents set up surveillance to monitor the transaction and when it was completed conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle.
The driver was identified as Mario Nash of Haughton. When his vehicle was searched investigators found 488.7 gross grams of Meth which was found wrapped in plastic in the vehicle’s center console. Nash admitted to purchasing the methamphetamine from Walker.
In a call on June 14, 2021, Walker discussed methamphetamine being shipped in the mail via UPS. Agents were able to seize the package and discovered approximately two kilograms of meth.
Agents secured a search warrant for the Shreveport home of Frederick and Felecia Walker on June 21, 2021. 1042.2 gross grams of marijuana, 949.4 gross grams of meth, a Ruger AR-556, and an assortment of magazines, extended magazines, ammunition, and digital scales were all seized from the house.
Felecia Walker admitted during an interview that she received meth in the mail and that she or Frederick Walker would mail the money for the narcotic to the supplier. Felecia Walker would then distribute the methamphetamine under the direction of Frederick Walker.
Officers secured a warrant for Alana Taravella’s Shreveport home on June 23, 2021. That search led to the recovery of a Taurus 709 Slim 9mm handgun, a DPMS A-15 firearm, more than $8,000 cash, meth, packaging materials, and digital scales.
Agents recovered a Taurus G2C 9mm with extended magazine and ammunition, a Taurus PT738 .380 firearm with magazine and ammunition, a stolen Sig Sauer P365 9mm firearm with magazine and ammunition, and 325 gross grams of meth inside of a vehicle parked outside of Taravella’s home.
Taravella admitted to investigators that she got the meth from Frederick Walker and distributed it to others.
Frederick Cortez Walker was sentenced to 24 years and four months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Felecia B. Walker was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Mario T. Nash was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Alana M. Taravella was sentenced to 12 years and three months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
This investigation was a multiagency task force effort that included the DEA, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police.