LAFAYETTE, La. – Two men were sentenced today in United States District Court
after an investigation into drug trafficking activities in the Ville Platte area, Acting United
States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced. Judge Robert R. Summerhays
sentenced the two defendants as follows:
John Kirk Ortego, a/k/a “Kirk,” 52, of Ville Platte, Louisiana, was sentenced to 57
months (4 years, 9 months) in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for
conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jared Reed, a/k/a “J-Rat,” 40, of Ville Platte, Louisiana, and a co-defendant of
Ortego, was sentenced to 42 months (3 years, 6 months) in prison followed by 4 years of
supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute
methamphetamine.
Ortego and Reed are co-defendants in this case. Ortego pled guilty to the charge
on January 22, 2020 and Reed pled guilty on February 14, 2020. Evidence introduced in
court revealed that from January through June 2019, Ortego and Reed each purchased
methamphetamine from one of their co-defendants in this case. Reed arranged the
purchases using his cell phone. Both Ortego and Reed purchased the methamphetamine
so that they could resell it for profit.
This prosecution is part of a larger investigation conducted by the Drug
Enforcement Administration through its Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force and
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The Louisiana State Police
Narcotics Division initiated the investigation, and Special Agents with DEA, as well as
Task Force Officers assigned to the Southwest Louisiana HIDTA Task Force, completed
the investigation. In addition to the above conviction and sentence, the investigation
resulted in the dismantling of a drug trafficking organization in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
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Press Release