United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On March 24, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 38-year-old Larenta Deshawn Dawkins, of Dothan, Alabama, to 360 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration's New Orleans Division. Following his term of imprisonment, Dawkins will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Drug traffickers who bring dangerous narcotics into our communities will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “This sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who profit from the distribution of methamphetamine.”

“Thirty years in federal prison, without the possibility of parole, is a definitive message to those who think they can use Alabama as a hub for their illicit trade,” said Special Agent in Charge Hofer. “By working side-by-side with the Dothan and Eufaula Police Departments, we successfully intercepted five pounds of methamphetamine before it could destroy more lives in our neighborhoods. Whether the poison is shipped from out of state or hidden in a local storage unit, we will find it, and we will ensure those responsible face the full weight of federal justice.”

According to court records and evidence presented at Dawkins’s December 2025 trial, law enforcement began investigating suspected drug trafficking activity in Houston County in July 2024. Investigators determined that Dawkins was receiving packages in Dothan containing methamphetamine shipped to Alabama from out of state. Further investigation revealed that Dawkins used a storage unit in Dothan to store the drugs after receiving them.

During the execution of a search warrant at the storage unit, investigators recovered two boxes containing approximately five pounds of methamphetamine, along with three bags of marijuana. Agents later obtained and executed a search warrant at Dawkins’s residence, where they seized numerous items linking him to the storage unit and the narcotics.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dothan Police Department, and Eufaula Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Wilson and Joel Feil prosecuted the case.