Louisiana Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Possession of Methamphetamine and a Firearm After Drugs, a Gun, and Other Evidence Were Found During a Traffic Stop

Lake Charles, Louisiana – Ryan Spencer George, 37, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 1, 2022, in U.S. District Court, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. George was sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 108 months (9 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. George pleaded guilty on May 26, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On March 31, 2020, officers from the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force were aiding the Lake Charles Police Department when they conducted a traffic stop on George’s vehicle. Following his arrest, officers discovered many plastic bags containing at least 25 grams of methamphetamine, a small digital scale, and a wallet with various amounts of US currency inside his pants’ front pocket. George told officers that the bags contained methamphetamine and that some of the money came from drug sales. Officers discovered a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol on the floorboard between the driver’s seat and the console when investigating George’s vehicle.

Law enforcement discovered that George had many prior criminal convictions, including distribution of methamphetamine (2015) and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon (2018), which barred him from owning a handgun or ammunition.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve together to minimize violent crime and gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy to strengthen PSN on May 26, 2021, based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.