Three southwest Arkansas men were sentenced this week to eight or more years in prison for their roles in a drug-trafficking ring bust coined “Operation Stateline Sweep” by federal authorities.
Samuel Garrison, 31, and Gregory Lewis, 34, both of Texarkana, and Marcus Sims, 35, of Chidester, were sentenced after all pleaded guilty for their roles in the ring, according to a statement from the office of United States Attorney Conner Eldridge.
Garrison received more than 18 years in prison without parole and three years of supervised release for charges that he distributed cocaine, the release states. During the investigation, Garrison was found to be the head of the Texarkana-based drug trafficking operation, the news release states.
Lewis was given a 15-year prison term without the possibility of parole and three years of supervised release on charges that he distributed crack cocaine with 1,000 feet of a public school, according to the release.
Sims received an eight-year prison term and six years of supervised release after pleading guilty to charges of distributing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of public housing.
All three defendants were sentenced as part of a 190-count indictment filed in September 2011. In total, the office says, 66 defendants in that indictment have been prosecuted at this time.