Many, LA Man Sentenced to 12+ Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine

SHREVEPORT, La. – John Michael Murphy, 36, of Many, Louisiana, was sentenced today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Murphy to 151 months (12 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Murphy was charged in an indictment on June 15, 2022, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine stemming from an investigation by law enforcement agents working in the Many, Louisiana area. Officers with the Sabine Parish Tactical Narcotics Team conducted an undercover purchase of 60 grams of methamphetamine from Murphy prior to November 2021 and were aware of his drug trafficking activities. Agents received information that Murphy would be traveling to get more methamphetamine and they began conducting surveillance of the vehicle in which Murphy was a passenger.  As they were following Murphy, agents lost him and requested assistance from other officers in the area to assist in locating the vehicle.

On November 16, 2021, a Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy observed the vehicle traveling on La. Highway 6 and recognized the female driver who he knew to have an expired driver’s license. The deputy activated his emergency overhead lights and initiated a traffic stop. Both the female driver and Murphy stepped out of the car and the female driver gave deputies consent to search the vehicle. Deputies conducted a pat down search of Murphy and found a large bag between his legs containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine. The drugs were seized, and Murphy was arrested.  The suspected drugs were sent to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Crime Lab for analysis and confirmed to be approximately 136.72 grams of methamphetamine. Murphy pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023 to possessing a total of 158.35 grams of methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Sabine Parish Tactical Narcotics Team and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick.

The investigation and conviction of Murphy is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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