A Pope County man who pleaded guilty in federal court to a drug trafficking conspiracy charge was sentenced to serve nine years in federal prison Wednesday.
Dallas Standridge, 47, of Dover, was one of 55 defendants involved in racketeering and large scale drug trafficking run by the New Aryan Empire in Pope County who were indicted in a far-reaching federal investigation that began in 2017.
The New Aryan Empire is a white-supremacist group that began as a jailhouse gang in Pope County in the early 1990s and eventually spread to the state prison system and out into the "free world" as its members transitioned from jail or prison back into their home communities. The group came to the attention of federal authorities looking into reports of large-scale methamphetamine dealing in Central Arkansas and violent acts including kidnapping and murder that gang members and associates were suspected of.
Standridge, who is not a gang member and was not accused of any racketeering crimes, pleaded guilty May 19, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was to have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian Miller in August, but Miller ordered him taken into custody and the sentencing to be delayed after Standridge tested positive for drug use after a pre-hearing drug screen.
At Wednesday's hearing, Standridge had only one request: to be allowed to remain at the Pulaski County jail where he is enrolled in the CSI Academy re-entry class. According to the Pulaski County sheriff's office website, CSI stands for Community-focused, Safety-driven, Integrity-based and the class is a 240-hour program aimed at assisting inmates with their transition back into the community.
"I signed up for it and I would really like to go through it," Standridge said. "I believe it would help me in the long run of when I do get out of being clean and staying clean, and give me some tools in my belt to help me stay clean. I'm done with the drugs and that lifestyle."
At that, Standridge's voice began to falter as he struggled to retain his composure and to get through the rest of his comments to the judge.
"It's took away -- I'm sorry, Your Honor -- it's took away too much time of my grandkids' and my daughters' lives," he said. "I realize that and I want to better myself for when I do get back out."
Miller, after questioning Standridge on just what the CSI program is, said his authority would not allow him to let Standridge remain at the jail once he passed the sentence as he would then be remanded over to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
"That's why I asked you what the program is because maybe I can give you a similar program in the federal system," Miller said.
"It's a very intense re-entry program," Standridge said. "My wife has been through it since she's been over there and she says it's a very good program to help you get, you know, tools under your belt to help you stay clean and stuff like that. I'd like to get something similar that would be helpful to me wherever I happen to go."
Standridge's wife, Lesa Standridge, is a co-defendant in the case who has also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy.
"I'll make a note to try and get you some help," Miller said. Asked if he had anything further to say, Standridge said no.
"That's one of my main things," he said, "to get the help that I need."
In addition to 108 months in prison, Miller said he would recommend that Standridge participate in residential drug treatment and vocational training while he is incarcerated.
"Hopefully," Miller said, "that notation will get you some of those programs that you need."