Members of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in the Natchitoches, Louisiana Area Receive Federal Prison Sentences Totaling over 103 Years

Seven members of a drug trafficking conspiracy in the
Natchitoches, Louisiana area have all been sentenced, announced United States Attorney
Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced all of the defendants
for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The last remaining one
was sentenced on December 22, 2023. The names of those defendants and their sentences are
as follows:
James Christopher Weeks, 51, of Montgomery, Louisiana, was sentenced to 360
months (20 years) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Weeks pleaded guilty
to the charge on October 14, 2022.
Savannah Maria Weeks, 31, of Arcadia, Louisiana, was sentenced to 78 months (6
years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. S. Weeks pleaded guilty
to the charge on June 29, 2022.
Eric Joseph Sandifer, 36, of Pineville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months (10
years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sandifer pleaded guilty to the
charge on November 29, 2022.
Ashley Danielle Dowden, 39, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, was sentenced to 96
months (8 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Dowden pleaded guilty
to the charge on August 3, 2022.
Candiace Shree Bronson, 39, of Alexandria, Louisiana, was sentenced to 78 months
(6 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Bronson pleaded
guilty to the charge on September 26, 2022.
Louis V. Jackson, 39, of Natchitoches, was sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in
prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Jackson was the only defendant who went
to trial and was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession
of firearms and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, by a jury in April 2023.
Adam James Johnson, 41, of Natchitoches, was sentenced to 235 months (19 years, 7
months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty to the
charge on March 16, 2023.
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In early March 2020, agents with the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task
Force (“NMJDTF”) received information regarding a group of individuals selling large
amounts of methamphetamine in the Natchitoches area. Law enforcement agents began an
investigation into these illegal drug trafficking activities and learned that James Weeks, his
daughter, Savannah Weeks, Adam Johnson, Louis Jackson, and Eric Sandifer, were major
methamphetamine distributors in northwest Louisiana. Dowden and Bronson were working
closely with them in this drug trafficking organization. Through their investigation, agents
conducted surveillance of these defendants on numerous occasions and in both Natchitoches
and Alexandria, Louisiana. They were also able to obtain information from other sources as
to the drug trafficking activities of these defendants.
Through their investigation, agents learned that J. Weeks, who was serving a 192-
month imprisonment sentence in the Yazoo City Medium federal prison facility on a Western
District of Louisiana drug conspiracy conviction, was conducting drug trafficking operations
from the federal prison facility. J. Weeks was communicating through Facebook Messenger
with S. Weeks, Johnson, and other co-conspirators about methamphetamine trafficking. On
March 26, 2020, a K9 utilized by HSI-Riverside, California, alerted on a package at the San
Bernardino, California, shipping facility destined to J. Weeks’ mother and daughter, S.
Weeks, in Arcadia, Louisiana. A state search warrant was obtained, and six pounds of
methamphetamine were recovered. J. Weeks admitted to agents that he had met a
methamphetamine source of supply through another inmate in prison and that he was
involved in the package being sent to his mother’s residence. J. Weeks introduced these
sources to Johnson, who purchased the methamphetamine from them on several occasions.
In March 2020, agents conducted surveillance on Johnson’s home in Natchitoches and
observed Dowden arrive and enter the residence. Shortly thereafter, both Dowden and
Johnson left in separate vehicles. They were subsequently stopped for a traffic violation and
agents recovered suspected drugs in Dowden’s possession. A search warrant was also later
executed at Johnson’s residence which resulted in the discovery of approximately 3,720 grams
of methamphetamine in the attic of Johnson’s home. Dowden hid two large bags containing
the suspected methamphetamine in the attic at the direction of Johnson and also took trips to
Dallas with him to retrieve the methamphetamine in exchange for large amounts of cash. A
chemical analysis conducted by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory determined
the substance was in fact methamphetamine, having a total net weight of 3,716.7 grams and
ranging between 89.4 and 98.4% purity level.
On March 3, 2020, while on supervised probation by Louisiana State Probation and
Parole, Sandifer was arrested on a drug charge out of Oklahoma. Officers responded to his
residence and found Sandifer who advised that there was methamphetamine in the vehicle in
his yard and he admitted that he had been using the vehicle for several weeks. A search
warrant was obtained and executed, and officers seized approximately 127 grams of actual
methamphetamine, a digital scale, and baggies from inside the vehicle. Sandifer also had
messages on his cell phone in which he was communicating with Johnson regarding
methamphetamine trafficking in Natchitoches.
During their investigation, agents conducted surveillance at the Motel 6 in
Natchitoches and the Best Western in Alexandria. On April 16, 2020, they observed Jackson
pull into the parking lot of the Motel 6 and then depart the property. Agents obtained search
warrants on those rooms which yielded 34 Tramadol pills, a Marlin rifle; model: 336CS;
caliber: 30-30, a SCCY pistol; model: CPX-1, and several pieces of paperwork with Bronson’s Page 3 of 3
name. On May 13, 2020, agents observed S. Weeks and a male arrive at the Best Western
hotel and enter a room. S. Weeks departed and was subsequently pulled over in a traffic stop.
Agents seized approximately 132 grams of actual methamphetamine from her, and it was
confirmed to be actual methamphetamine.
A search warrant was obtained and executed on the Best Western hotel room, where
Bronson and Jackson were present. Agents seized approximately 498 grams of
methamphetamine, $11,300 in U.S. currency, and a purse belonging to Bronson. Bronson
and Jackson were subsequently arrested. A chemical analysis was conducted on the suspected
narcotics by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and determined the substances
seized from S. Weeks and the Best Western hotel room were in fact methamphetamine,
having a net weight of 132.7 grams with 89.9% purity and 498.2 grams with 92.7% purity
level, respectively.
“The successful investigation by the local and federal law enforcement agents in this
case has resulted in over 20 pounds of methamphetamine being taken off the streets of
northwest Louisiana,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “These types of
investigations take a lot of hard work and man hours to develop, and our communities are
much safer after getting these bad actors off the streets. I commend the efforts of these local
and federal partners and we will continue to prosecute those who choose to traffic drugs in
our district.”
“This investigation, and its subsequent successful prosecutions, were the result of a
complete law enforcement team effort,” stated Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart
Wright. “The Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force invested significant
resources over the past three years and joined with other sheriff’s offices and federal law
enforcement partners to take action and remove over 600 grams of methamphetamine from
our community. And seven narcotics distributors are now in prison as a result of their
dangerous criminal activity."
“We appreciate the diligent and ongoing effort of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in
prosecuting these cases in federal court,” stated Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy
Jo Harrington. “Some of the defendants, including Johnson, are also facing charges in
Natchitoches Parish. I also commend our local law enforcement agencies for their hard
work and effort in removing illegal narcotics from our parish."
This case was investigated by the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force
(NMJDTF), Department of Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, ATF, Natchitoches City
Police, and Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit, and prosecuted by Assistant
United States Attorneys Cytheria D. Jernigan and Brian C. Flanagan.