On October 18, 2016, Rene “Mexico” Villa of Henderson, LA., age 33, pled guilty to the charge of Possession of 200 grams or More, but Less than 400 Grams of Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, or Mixture. Villa was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Phil Maples. Presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg. This plea was a result of a plea agreement with prosecutors after a narcotics investigation was conducted by the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.

On February 11, 2016, a confidential informant made contact with narcotics detectives and advised them that he could lead them to a large quantity of Methamphetamine. The informant told detectives that he could have Villa deliver a large quantity of Methamphetamine to the Ascension Parish area. Under the direction of detectives, the informant contacted Villa via telephone to arrange a buy. Villa agreed to deliver approximately 14 ounces of Methamphetamine valued at approximately $9,000 to the informant in the parking lot of the Tanger Mall in Gonzales. While detectives were conducting surveillance of the area, the informant walked to a vehicle occupied by Villa. Once the informant initiated contact with Villa, detectives moved in and observed three plastic bags containing Methamphetamine on the seat of the vehicle in plain view.

Upon entering a guilty plea to the above charges, as per the plea agreement with prosecutors, Judge Stromberg sentenced Villa to a period of 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. The imposed sentence is to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. It was also ordered that Villa pay $100,000 in fines.