LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Pope County drug trafficker was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for a string of charges.

Court officials said 55-year-old Marcus Millsap was sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to violate racketeering laws, attempted murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to officials, Marcus was indicted in 2019 for his involvement in a white supremacist prison gang known as the New Aryan Empire. Evidence at trial showed that Millsap and others used the NAE as an organization to conduct racketeering activities, including drug distribution, solicitations of murder and attempted murder.

At trial, officials said the prosecution presented evidence that in 2014, Millsap sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant named Bruce Hurley. After Millsap was convicted in the methamphetamine case, he solicited members and associates of the NAE to kill Hurley for cooperating with law enforcement.

The U.S. Attorney’s office said NAE members attempted to murder Hurley in 2016 but failed and continued to arrange for his death. This resulted in Millsap’s conviction for attempted murder in aid of racketeering.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas Jonathan D. Ross spoke on the sentencing of Millsap.

“The United States will not tolerate the vile and outrageous crimes committed by members and associates of the New Aryan Empire or any other white supremacist group,” he said. 

In addition to his life sentence, Millsap was ordered to pay a $200,000 fine and was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release if he is ever released from prison.