Lafourche Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

 NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KENDALL MATHEWS, a/k/a “DOT,” age 37,  a resident of Thibodaux, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 7, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to thirteen counts of a fourteen-count indictment charging him with several narcotics offenses, including conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fifty kilograms or more of methamphetamine, five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, and distribution of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.

According to court documents, beginning in January 2018, Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration made two controlled purchases of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine each from MATHEWS.  After making the controlled purchases, agents obtained court ordered wiretaps of MATHEWS and his co-conspirators’ telephones and intercepted numerous calls between MATHEWS his co-conspirators, and customers in which they discussed the sales of methamphetamine, cocaine hydrochloride, and heroin.  Through their continued monitoring of telephone calls, agents were able to identify and seize two kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride.  Also, agents and officers obtained search warrants for co-conspirators’ residences and seized approximately 148 grams of heroin and 1300 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.  

MATHEWS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a $100.00 special assessment fee per count.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.