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Two sentenced on drug, fire arm charges, cocaine found during Calcasieu Parish traffic stop
Darwin Jose Escalante-Garache, 36, who was living in Gulfport, Mississippi was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In a completely separate case, 25-year-old Toni January of Lake Charles was also sentenced to 26 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
CALCASIEU PARISH, La. (KLFY)-- Two men were sentenced in Lake Charles Tuesday on firearm and drug charges, according to United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Darwin Jose Escalante-Garache, 36, who was living in Gulfport, Mississippi was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In a completely separate case, 25-year-old Toni January of Lake Charles was also sentenced to 26 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
On Sept. 8, 2022, while Louisiana State Police troopers conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Calcasieu Parish, a K-9 officer alerted authorities of an odor of drugs coming from Escalante-Garache's vehicle. After searching the vehicle, law enforcement officials seized one kilogram of cocaine that was hidden in the backseat pocket.
Escalante-Garache confessed to having the cocaine with plans to distribute. He plead guilty to the crime on Nov. 13, 2023, according to Brown.
Authorities executed a search warrant at January's home on March 20, 2021, and while searching, they found a Glock Model 17 9mm pistol, which January admitted was his, and other firearms. January plead guilty to the charge on Oct. 25, 2023, according to Brown.
January has federal convictions from previous occurrences for illegal possession of stolen things in 2017 and nonconsensual disclosure of a private image and possession of controlled substances in 2020.