BEAUMONT, Texas– An Ashdown, Arkansas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Charles Hawkins, Jr., 31, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2022, to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Dec. 4, 2020, Hawkins was stopped in Nacogdoches County for speeding in a construction zone. Law enforcement officers noticed the odor of recently sprayed air freshener, which is often used to cover the odor of marijuana. The officer’s canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle and a search was conducted which revealed three one-gallon size storage bags in the trunk containing approximately 2,449 grams of methamphetamine. Hawkins was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches Police Department, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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