By: Katie Lacombe

August 6th, 2026 - 12PM

ALEXANDRIA, La. — A Bunkie man has been indicted on federal drug and firearm charges and could face decades in prison if convicted.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana, a federal grand jury indicted Rininski Edwards, 33, on June 17 as an armed career criminal.

Prosecutors allege that on March 31, 2026, Edwards possessed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the drug. He is also accused of possessing a loaded .45-caliber handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Federal authorities further allege that Edwards was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted on three separate occasions of drug trafficking or violent felony offenses, qualifying him as an armed career criminal under federal law.

Edwards is charged with:

• Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as an armed career criminal.

• Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

"This Administration has made clear that drug traffickers and armed criminals have no place in our communities, and our Office will aggressively pursue and prosecute these offenders to get them off our streets," U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement. "This Office looks forward to seeing justice done in this case, with a sentence that is commensurate to the crime and criminal history of this alleged offender."

If convicted on all charges, Edwards faces mandatory minimum federal prison sentences that
could total several decades.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Ashley Hammons is prosecuting the case with assistance from
Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.

An indictment is a formal accusation, and Edwards is presumed innocent unless and until proven
guilty in court.

This article was originally published by Avoyelles Update.

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