CO-DEFENDANT OF FORMER DEPUTY SENTENCED ON DRUG CHARGES

A Keithville woman who was charged with drug trafficking along with a
former Caddo deputy was sentenced Thursday to a year and a day in prison.

U.S. District Judge Tom Stagg recommended Sheila Hardin, 35, serve her time
in a halfway house, U.S. Attorney Donald W. Washington said.

A federal investigation began last year when information was received that
Hardin was distributing cocaine that she received from Caddo sheriff's K9
deputy Danny Joe Williams.

The sheriff's office discovered 2.2 pounds of cocaine was stolen from a K-9
supervisor's vehicle. The cocaine had been checked out to train the
sheriff's office dogs, Sheriff Steve Prator said. Authorities searched
Hardin's residence and found almost all the stolen cocaine, 5.5 pounds of
marijuana and a handgun. Williams was arrested and fired in May and
admitted he supplied the cocaine to Hardin. Williams told authorities he
used the money from drug sales to pay gambling debts, Prator said.

Williams pleaded guilty in May to possession of cocaine with intent to
distribute. He was sentenced Aug. 30 to 71 months in prison and fined $10,000.