LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — A Lafayette man was sentenced to four years and seven months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to heroin trafficking.

Billy Louviere, 44, of Lafayette, will also have three years of supervised release for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Louviere pleaded guilty to the charge on Jan. 7 of this year.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook, law enforcement agents received information that Louviere and other co-conspirators were buying and selling heroin in the Lafayette area. Agents tapped a cell phone of a known heroin dealer in Lafayette. Starting in January 2019, agents intercepted communication where co-conspirators would provide Louviere with a supply of heroin nearly daily. Louviere would use some of the heroin but would also redistribute the heroin to other people for profit. Louviere was supplied approximately 3.5 grams of heroin per transaction.

On Feb. 22, 2019, agents observed Louviere have a brief meeting with the dealer. Lafayette Police later stopped the Louviere’s vehicle for a traffic violation. A K-9 officer conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted police to the presense of the heroin. Officers also found a scale, baggies and a burnt spoon. Louviere admitted to purchasing the heroin earlier that day.