A Tangipahoa Parish resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary funds, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Latijeria Martin, 38, entered her plea before U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry on August 12, 2025. Sentencing is set for December 9, 2025. Martin faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Court documents state that the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Martin’s boyfriend, Dequarius Hamler, for drug trafficking in 2022. Authorities suspected Hamler was directing Martin to deposit proceeds from illegal drug sales into local bank accounts to disguise the source of the money.
Between January 1, 2021 and September 9, 2023, Martin and Hamler deposited a total of $454,589.10 across seven different bank accounts. Of this amount, $328,159.10 was moved through accounts under Martin’s name and $126,430 through accounts under Hamler’s name. Bank employees observed that Martin frequently visited branches—sometimes several times daily—to make cash deposits and withdrawals.
The cash often had a strong odor and residue of marijuana. A bank employee informed Martin that her actions constituted criminal structuring and money laundering and told her she could no longer make such deposits at the institution. Despite relaying this warning to Hamler, he continued instructing her to conceal his drug proceeds using their bank accounts.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot from the Narcotics Unit.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation—a program designed to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations using coordinated efforts among multiple agencies led by prosecutors. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
