A man from Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the Eastern District of Texas. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Santana Deangelo Powell, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale sentenced Powell to 300 months in federal prison on December 9, 2025.
Court records show that in February 2024, Powell was stopped for a traffic violation while traveling to Houston and was found with a large amount of cash. He told law enforcement officers he intended to purchase a vehicle with the money. Officers discovered a concealed compartment in the trunk of his car that they believed could be used for hiding drugs, although it was empty at the time.
Later that night, Powell was stopped again for another traffic violation in Liberty County. During this stop, officers searched his vehicle and found the hidden compartment now contained a large bag holding 20,000 methamphetamine tablets and over 100 grams of cocaine. A firearm was also recovered from the vehicle.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting communities from violent crime.
The investigation involved the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and Mt. Enterprise City Marshal’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Quinn and Reynaldo P. Morin prosecuted the case.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
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