Two Tennessee Men Sentenced in Federal Court in Louisiana for Transporting Cocaine

Two men from Tennessee have been sentenced in federal court in Louisiana for transporting cocaine.

Monroe, Louisiana  – On Thursday, February 2, 2023, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two Tennessee men who were stopped for a traffic violation while driving through Louisiana and found to have cocaine in their vehicle have been sentenced. The two men were sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty.

Jalyn Thompson, 21, of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, received a 70-month prison sentence, while Derek Tipps, 21, of Dickson, Tennessee, received a 120-month prison sentence. Both will be on supervised release for 5 years after being released from prison.

On October 20, 2021, Louisiana State Police troopers stopped a vehicle outside of Monroe, Louisiana, for a traffic violation. Thompson was the driver, and Tipps was a passenger. Because the story they told law enforcement officers raised suspicions, a K-9 dog was called to the scene to assist. The drug dog alerted on the vehicle upon arrival, and Thompson and Tipps admitted to having drugs in the vehicle. A backpack containing 25 pounds of cocaine was discovered in the trunk. Both men were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. On May 3, 2022, Thompson and Tipps both pleaded guilty to the charge.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration Joint Task Force and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Robert F. Moody.