Jamarian Hewitt, 39, a member of the Four-Deuce Oakland Crips, was sentenced Wednesday to 447 months in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr imposed the sentence. A federal jury convicted Hewitt in April on drug trafficking, firearms and conspiracy charges.
The case grew out of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) called "Operation Blue Laces," which began in January 2024. Agents looked into activity along the Malcolm X Boulevard corridor after residents and business owners reported threats and intimidation. Trial evidence showed Hewitt ran a storefront called "Exotic Pop South Dallas" where he distributed drugs. Authorities recovered about one kilogram of mixed drugs there in October 2024, and a search of his home found 14 pounds of marijuana, prescription pills and ammunition.
Prosecutors said Hewitt had prior convictions and was on felony probation in Kaufman and Tarrant counties and out on bond in Dallas County at the time. U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said Hewitt turned a storefront into a hub for drugs and guns. To date, 12 people linked to the gang have been convicted of federal offenses through the operation. The investigation was conducted by ATF's Dallas Division and the Dallas Police Department as part of Operation Take Back America.