Judge to sentence last of five suspects in trafficking case

The last of five co-defendants who distributed methamphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine in the Texarkana, Waldo and Magnolia areas of southern Arkansas is scheduled for sentencing Friday before a federal judge in Texarkana.

Fredrico Bradley, James Manuel, Christopher Manning, Ladarrius Robinson and Ricardo Walker are all named in a 25-count superseding indictment in the Texarkana Division of the Western District of Arkansas.

An initial indictment charging Bradley and one other defendant was handed down in October 2017 and in December of that year, a superseding indictment was filed naming all five men.

Manuel is set for sentencing Friday before U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey in Texarkana’s downtown federal building. Robinson was sentenced July 16 before Hickey and received a 100-month term.

Walker appeared for sentencing Wednesday before Hickey and received a 46-month sentence.

Manning was sentenced by Hickey on Wednesday as well. He received a 120-month term.

Bradley appeared Thursday for sentencing with Texarkana lawyer John Pickett.

In addition to a 63-month term for conspiracy to distribute

methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy, Bradley was also given a 41-month term for violating the conditions of supervised release on a 2001 cocaine distribution case.

Bradley was on supervised release on the 2001 case when he was arrested in the 2017 case. Bradley must serve the 41-month term for violating his supervised release consecutively to the 63-month term he received in the 2017 case.

Court records reflect that Hickey has recommended intensive drug treatment while in the Bureau of Prisons for all the defendants sentenced thus far.