Alexandria Man Indicted on Federal Drug, Gun Charges Facing 15 Years to Life
ALEXANDRIA, La. — A federal grand jury has indicted an Alexandria man on drug and firearm charges that carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
Cartez Dotson, 39, was named in a superseding indictment returned August 19 on one count of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
What the Indictment Alleges
Prosecutors say that on January 14, Dotson knowingly possessed five grams or more of methamphetamine along with an additional 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, with intent to distribute. The indictment also alleges he had two pistols and ammunition on him at the time, and that he carried a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity.
Court records cited in the indictment show Dotson has prior qualifying convictions for three serious drug or violent felonies committed on separate occasions, which subjects him to the enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana announced the indictment. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and it’s being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
An indictment is only an allegation, and Dotson is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative pairing federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to target violent crime.
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