Undercover Sting Nets Kaplan Man Distributing Crystal Meth

Baton Rouge, LA (KPEL News) - A Kaplan man will spend the next 16 years in federal prison in Louisiana for distributing crystal meth, following a sting in south Louisiana. He will also serve five years of supervised release once his term is complete.

In June of 2023, 47-year-old Jeremy Melancon met with an undercover officer in the parking lot of an unidentified fast food restaurant he sold the officer 18 grams of crystal methamphetamine. A few hours later, he met the same undercover agent in the parking lot of a retail store and distributed another 222 grams of the drug.

Crystal methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug. According to Web MD, the "doses" are measured in milligrams, and the most common amount is 10-30 milligrams. Based on that math, the drugs that Melancon distributed to the undercover officer equated to 7,000 to 10,000 hits. The ways in which people use the drug is varied (and quite disturbing, in some cases), but the most common ways are through injection or smoking.

The United States Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Louisiana, located in Baton Rouge, has been vigilant in their work to take drugs and drug traffickers off the street. Another recent announcement listed a group of 13 men, including one from Erath, who were involved in what the federal attorneys called a large-scale drug conspiracy to move drugs to and through Angola.

Melancon entered a guilty plea and admitted to the charges as part of the deal. The term of the sentence was based on his conviction for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.