Three men have been found guilty by a federal jury for their roles in methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracies that stretched from California through Texas to Arkansas. The verdict was delivered Tuesday evening after a six-day trial in Little Rock, according to Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Bruce McArthur Smith, 54, of Hesperia, California; Kevin Langel, 54, of Pine Bluff; and Larry Rogers, 71, of Benton were initially indicted in November 2022. A superseding indictment was returned on January 6, 2026. Smith faced charges related to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Langel and Rogers were charged with conspiracy involving cocaine: Langel’s charge involved more than five kilograms while Rogers’ charge involved between 500 grams and five kilograms.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Roderick Toney, 58, of Little Rock purchased and redistributed the controlled substances supplied by the three men. Toney pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025 to conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm; he is awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutors introduced recorded phone calls between Smith and Toney detailing several methamphetamine transactions. The investigation—led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and North Little Rock Police Department—revealed that Smith traveled from California to Arkansas multiple times during the period from 2020 through 2022. During these visits, Toney received multiple pounds of methamphetamine directly from Smith at an apartment complex in Little Rock.
In June and July 2022—the same time Smith sold methamphetamine to Toney—Toney also purchased kilograms of cocaine from Rogers. Trial evidence described how on July 14, 2022 Rogers obtained money from one of Toney’s relatives at a car wash before meeting Langel at a business off Geyer Springs Road in Little Rock where he acquired a kilogram of cocaine. Afterward, Rogers returned to the car wash location and distributed the cocaine to Toney. Multiple transactions between Rogers and Toney were documented during the trial.
Further evidence established that Langel was supplying cocaine sourced out of Houston and Dallas during late 2022 and early 2023 through several multi-kilogram transactions.
Following their convictions all three defendants were detained pending sentencing. Both Smith’s and Langel’s conspiracy charges carry mandatory minimum sentences of ten years up to life imprisonment as well as at least five years’ supervised release after prison time ends; there is no parole under federal law. Rogers faces a minimum sentence of five years up to forty years plus four years’ supervised release.
The three convicted men are among eighteen individuals prosecuted as part of this case which began in North Little Rock before expanding its reach into California—all eighteen have now been convicted though some are still awaiting sentencing hearings.
According to officials this prosecution falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative created by Executive Order 14159, which focuses on dismantling criminal cartels as well as human smuggling organizations operating within U.S borders or abroad through coordinated efforts across government agencies.
The case was investigated by agents from DEA New Orleans Field Division along with officers from North Little Rock Police Department—with assistance provided by Sherwood Police Department—and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Amanda Fields.
