LAFAYETTE/SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the resolution of a case in the Western District of Louisiana today.

Cardaries Marks, 29, of Florien, Louisiana, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 84 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On September 29, 2020, members of the Northwest Louisiana Violent Crimes Task Force and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office met regarding their investigation into the sale of narcotics in the Many, Louisiana area. Agents obtained evidence showing Marks handed a bag of suspected methamphetamine and approximately 95 suspected ecstasy pills to an individual and Marks received payment for those narcotics. The purchased narcotics were sent to the crime laboratory for analysis and confirmed to be over 5 grams of methamphetamine and the pills were confirmed to contain methamphetamine with a net weight of 13.116 grams.

Approximately one month later, law enforcement agents obtained additional evidence regarding an encounter which occurred between Marks and another individual. Marks sold two firearms to the individual and he paid Marks $750 for them. As a convicted felon, Marks knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. His prior felony convictions were for possession of methamphetamine in July 2019, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics in October 2019.

The FBI, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.