Eric Matlock, a 42-year-old resident of Fordyce, Arkansas, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and was handed down by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
Matlock was indicted on October 9, 2024, following an investigation that began in February 2024 by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division due to increased narcotic activity in Fordyce. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Matlock as a potential dealer and used confidential sources and surveillance technology to conduct controlled purchases of narcotics from him. Deputies also used aerial surveillance technology during these operations.
A search warrant executed at Matlock’s residence on June 30, 2024 led officers to discover a buried footlocker near his carport containing multiple plastic bags with large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, $3,841 in cash, and digital scales. The substances were confirmed as 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine and 1.2 pounds of cocaine.
Matlock pleaded guilty on August 8, 2025 to both counts in the indictment. In addition to his prison term, he received five years of supervised release; there is no parole in the federal system.
His criminal history includes previous convictions for conspiracy to deliver cocaine at the state level as well as two convictions for possession of crack cocaine, one conviction for possession of firearms by certain persons, one conviction for possession of paraphernalia to manufacture methamphetamine or cocaine, and maintaining a drug premises.
“This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” according to the press release from Jonathan D. Ross’s office. “The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.” The statement further notes: “Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations… In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.”
The case was investigated by agents from both the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and FBI as part of HSTF Little Rock; prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster.
