TEXARKANA, Texas – A Leesburg man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Nathan Paul Hart, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven.
According to information presented in court, Hart conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana, and other drugs in east Texas. On Nov. 30, 2020, Hart was stopped by a Texas State Trooper in east Texas with almost two kilograms of methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. He was also in possession of a pistol. In May 2021, while in jail, Hart directed a shipment of $22,680.00 to another person as payment for drugs from California. Hart was an organizer and leader in the drug trafficking operation, which included five or more participants and was otherwise extensive.
Hart was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 28, 2021. He faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the Mount Pleasant office of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
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