Lake Charles man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug, firearm charges

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lake Charles man was sentenced Wednesday to 130 months in prison for distributing cocaine and possessing firearms.

Kevin Ardoin, 36, of Lake Charles, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the May 3, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents recorded Ardoin selling cocaine on June 22, 2016 in Lake Charles. Agents searched his home and found 1.9 ounces of crack cocaine, .5 ounces of powder cocaine, 13 Xanax pills, 14 grams of marijuana and $2,265. The next day, agents learned there were more drugs in Ardoin’s home than was previously found. They searched his home again and found $87,070, 432 grams of cocaine, and four firearms, which included a loaded Taurus .410 caliber pistol, a Masterpiece Arms .45 caliber pistol, a Taurus .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver.

The FBI and Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.