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Man pleads guilty to conspiring to distribute multiple drugs

Posted at 2:20 PM, Apr 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-20 15:20:24-04

A Lafayette man pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to distribute multiple quantities of narcotics and illegal possession of a 9 mm handgun, according to United States Attorney David C. Joseph.

Jacob Glen Collett, 35, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell.

According to the guilty plea, a Lafayette Parish Sheriff deputy stopped Collett’s vehicle at 11:54 p.m., April 2, 2017, on Verot School Road. The deputy searched the vehicle and found a black backpack with narcotics and paraphernalia. The deputy also found methamphetamine on Collett. Subsequent analysis of the narcotics revealed that Collett was in possession of 540.3 grams of methamphetamine, 4.1 grams of heroin, 222 dosage units of LSD, and 56 tablets containing fentanyl.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of a motel in Jennings, Louisiana, on August 17, 2017. They arrested Collett during the raid, after recovering controlled substances, and a Berretta 9 mm model 92FS handgun and 16 rounds of ammunition. Lab results indicated that Collett was in possession of approximately 4.01 grams of MDMA, 34.8 grams of heroin, 16.5 grams of cocaine, 52.3 grams of a mixture and substance containing THC, and 164.9 grams of methamphetamine.

Collett faces a mandatory 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine for the drug count, and he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the firearms count. He also faces five years of supervised release. The court set the sentencing date for July 20, 2018.

The DEA, ATF, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Department, Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force, Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.