United States District Judge sentenced Marty Wilridge, of Jennings, to 324 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to distribute and Possession with intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, followed by five years of supervised release. He previously pled guilty to the charge in 2026.
In early 2024, investigators began monitoring a drug trafficking organization operating in the Jennings area. Agents identified Wilridge as a central participant in the network. Evidence showed that Wilridge used multiple phones and personal associates to move large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana throughout the region using various stash houses.
In January 2025, officers searched the residence of one of Wilridge’s co-conspirators and seized more than 1,500 grams of methamphetamine, nearly 1,000 grams of cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and other drug-related items.
Evidence showed that Wilridge supplied these narcotics. Wiretaps further revealed Wilridge’s role in directing drug deals, collecting debts, and overseeing the organization’s daily activities. Surveillance showed that Wilridge also used violence to enforce drug repayment, appearing at an associate’s home and assaulting him over a debt. Agents intercepted multiple communications in which Wilridge coordinated drug sales and was in continuous contact with co-conspirators.
On August 13, 2025, after tracking Wilridge’s Texas and Louisiana travel, officers conducted a traffic stop on Wilridge’s vehicle that uncovered more than 1,500 grams of cocaine and four cellphones. A subsequent August 16, 2025, search of Wilridge’s residence recovered nearly $35,000 in cash and a handgun.