LAPLACE — A Reserve man with a history of drug dealing offenses was sentenced to more than 10 years behind bars, but may only have to serve a quarter of the punishment, according to the district attorney.

Ladon Cook pleaded guilty last week to three counts of possession and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, according to the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court, accepting a plea agreement and sentence of 11 years incarceration with the Department of Corrections.

Cook, 28, was given credit for time served from Feb. 10, 2015, to Jan. 30, 2017.

He was ordered to pay a $315 fine, and his sentence is to run concurrent with any other sentencing.

District Attorney Bridget A. Dinvaut said the plea agreement included Cook revoking his probation from a 2014 case, but she predicted he would probably only serve 25 percent of the time.

“He will be doing jail time; this is an absolute jail time plea,” Dinvaut said. “What I can’t be sure of is what deals he will do with that jail time. We’ve been experiencing, quite to our disappointment, the governor’s strong position that Louisiana will not be No. 1 in incarceration. He has been commuting sentences.”

Dinvaut said there is a push among some legislators to allow “non-violent drug offenders” to only serve 25 percent of their sentences. It’s a definition Dinvaut does not agree with.

She related that her office secured a conviction in February of 2015, only to see the defendant up for parole six months later, an effort her office fought. That case led to parole granted for next month, according to Dinvaut.

“It’s an uphill battle,” she said.

According to Dinvaut, justice was served with Cook’s conviction Jan. 30.

“I am never happy that people are engaging in criminal activities and I’m having to put people in jail for this illegal conduct,” Dinvaut said. “Given (Cook’s) criminal history, it is a fair sentence — 11 years D.O.C.”

Cook caused local headlines in May of 2014 when the St. John Sheriff’s Office reported deputies seized drugs, thousands of dollars and a gun from a vehicle parked along U.S. Highway 51 in LaPlace after a passerby reported a man, identified as Cook, sleeping behind the wheel with a child in the truck.

The incident took place at 4:50 a.m. in the 4300 block of U.S. 51.

“Detectives seized 864 grams of marijuana, 272 grams of synthetic marijuana, 18.5 pills of Alprazolam, drug paraphernalia, $12,879.75 in cash, a semi-automatic handgun and ammunition,” the Sheriff’s Office announced.

Cook was booked for an outstanding traffic attachment, two counts of distribution/manufacture of schedule I controlled substance, distribution/manufacture of schedule IV controlled substance,  drug paraphernalia possession, illegal use of controlled substance in the presence of a juvenile, child desertion and operating a vehicle with a suspended license.