A New Iberia man who tried to have meth delivered in children's toys will serve 10 years in prison, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced today.
Jaron Mitchell, 30, of New Iberia was sentenced to 122 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, as a result of a conviction for attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
United States District Judge David C. Joseph conducted the sentencing hearing.
Court documents from the case said Homeland Security Investigation got involved when a Customs and Border Protection Officer intercepted a package at UPS World Port in Louisville, Kentucky.
The investigators allowed the packages to be delivered to a home in New Iberia.
Prosecutors said the boxes contained infant and baby equipment as well as toys. But there was also 10 large Ziplock bag bundles containing suspected methamphetamine, each weighing about one pound.
The 10 pounds of meth were parts of smaller packages inside the boxes, investigators said.
That's when the tracking began for agents, but also for Mitchell.
Court officials said they tracked the package to a home associated with Mitchell and then to a car where it was found.
Agents and the Iberia Parish Sheriff's officers observed Mitchell picking up the package from the home where it was delivered and was the driver of the car when package was located by officers.
During the investigation, police said Mitchell’s cellphone showed he had been tracking the package of toys and meth through the UPS app on his phone. Mitchell pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 9, 2022.
This is not uncommon.
In February, three people were charged for allegedly hiding meth and fentanyl pills in children's toys and mailing them from Arizona to Massachusetts.
In May of 2022, Michigan State Police said they pulled over a vehicle with a man, woman and child in a vehicle. There was a Toy Story tin under the seat containing meth, a torch, glass pipes and more.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation, Customs and Border Protection and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
John is a two-time national columnist of the year and AP award-winner in Texas and New York for breaking news, videos and sports. He earned the Thomas J. Bulson Investigative Journalism award and has appeared on CNBC's American Greed, FOX and CNN.
