Three Defendants Sentenced to More Than 15 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

Fort Smith, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas announced that three (3) individuals were sentenced by the United States District Court for Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than 100 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin.  The Honorable Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.

According to court records, Marion Sue Denton, Jesus Baeza Limon and William Ray Eldridge were arrested on April 26, 2019 in Van Buren, Arkansas, while in possession of approximately 330 grams of heroin and 43 grams of actual methamphetamine.

Defendants in this conspiracy received the following sentences:

Marian Sue Denton, age 50, of Van Buren, Arkansas was sentenced today, February 5, 2020 to 63 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.  Denton was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in May 2019, and plead guilty in July of 2019. 

Jesus Baeza Limon, age 23, of Bakersfield, California was sentenced January 13, 2020 to 57 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.  Denton was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in May of 2019, and plead guilty in September of 2019.

William Ray Eldridge, age 60, of Van Buren, Arkansas was sentenced February 3, 2020 to 70 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.  Eldridge was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in May of 2019 and plead guilty in August of 2019.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, 12/21^st Drug Task Force, and the Van Buren Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.