BREAKING: Major drug network uncovered, dismantled in Vernon

Published 3:08 pm Monday, February 9, 2026

Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft joined several state and federal agency heads Monday morning to announce the outcome of a nearly two-year investigation that uncovered and dismantled a massive drug operation in Vernon Parish.

At a media briefing held at the Vernon Parish Public Safety and Operations Center near Leesville, Craft was flanked by leaders with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, U.S. Army CID, Louisiana State Police, and other surrounding sheriff’s offices, who detailed the multi-agency operation that yielded 11 arrests and the recovery of large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

“These coordinated efforts resulted in multiple takedowns of local distribution sources within Vernon Parish, as well as a disruption of several supply chains originating outside the state,” Craft said. “These enforcement actions significantly impacted the flow of illegal drugs into Vernon Parish and contributed to broader interdiction efforts affecting neighboring parishes.”

DeTrail Harris, Kameron Harris, Barry Pearson, Frank Coleman Jr., Earl “Nook” Thompson, Michael Womack, Sevesta Sweet, Charles Jackson, Andrew Bulloch, Craig Hopkins, and Buford “Dog Pound” Sawyer were each indicted Jan. 21 for their alleged roles in the drug-trafficking network. Craft said most of the individuals live in Vernon Parish or originated from the area, and two are from Sabine Parish.

FBI officials presented enlarged images showcasing the illegal drugs recovered from the operation, which included 25 pounds of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, several single-ounce gold bars, as well as $125,000 in cash.

Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy said one individual was found in possession of 2,000 pills of fentanyl intended for distribution.

“We believe those pills were intended to be distributed from south to central Louisiana,” Murphy said.

According to Murphy, the investigation began in the late fall of 2024 and encompassed not only the Vernon Parish area but also the surrounding communities. Murphy said the operation utilized the collaborative efforts of all federal, state, and local participating agencies and represents a “testament to the great work of what a federal, state, and local partnership can be.”

“I can tell you, I worked firsthand with the men and women of the Vernon and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Offices,” Murphy said. “The sheriffs of those organizations were outstanding; they provided sound leadership, the Louisiana State Police was quick to respond and help this effort, and the FBI was phenomenal. It shows you what professional law enforcement should look like and what we can do when we work together to achieve a common end.”

Deputy Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Col. Bo Lummus described the operation as “extremely complex” and said investigators showed professionalism and skill while executing the mission.

“When you consider the complexity of infiltrating networks in a smaller setting like Vernon Parish, it can be even more difficult and dangerous than with networks in larger areas such as Shreveport or New Orleans,” Loomus told the American Press. “It presented several challenges and required a very careful plan and execution from all the agencies involved.”

The operation’s proximity to Fort Polk also allowed the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division to contribute its expertise in the lengthy investigation. Special Agent-in-Charge Lane Allen with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division’s Fort Polk Office said the investigation underscored CID’s focus on combating the dangers facing military members within their communities.

“(Our military members) and their families are a part of this local community,” Allen said. “This is where they live, where they shop, where they work, so any time a threat is posed by criminal activities such as this, then we get involved to help suppress those threats. We want this to serve as a clear message: if you introduce harmful drugs to the areas around our warfighters, we will hold you accountable.”

Officials said the investigation remains ongoing, and that all individuals are currently in the custody of U.S. Marshals.