NATCHEZ — The third of nine Warren County residents facing federal indictments in a drug enterprise that Vicksburg Police Chief Tommy Moffett once described as the No. 1 distribution ring of crack cocaine in Vicksburg was sentenced Tuesday.

Separately, two others in the case pleaded guilty to their charges and face future sentencing.

Christopher Shaun Walker, 29, who was arrested as part of a June, multi-agency drug raid, was sentenced to five years in prison by U.S. District Judge David Bramlette at the Natchez Federal Courthouse. Walker had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in October at the James O. Eastland U.S. Courthouse in Jackson.

Walker, who was also fined $1,500, received the minimum sentence for his charge. He was facing up to 20 years and potentially $2 million in fines.

Arrested in the same drug raid and sentenced in 2006 were Tommie Shepherd, 46, and Larry Jones, 31. Facing the same charges as Walker, both were also sentenced by Bramlette to serve five years and fined $1,500.

Also on Tuesday, Charles Price, 53, and Kenny Tyler, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which carries a minimum 10-year sentence and a maximum of life in prison, as well as up to $4 million in fines. Their sentencing was set for March 18.

Those also convicted and awaiting their sentences are Michael Tyler, 35, Keafur Wallace, 25, and Cadie Mae Bunch, 28. They, too, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Tyler, described by law enforcement as the leader of the group, was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday along with Walker, but had his sentencing postponed due to the death of his lawyer, William Barnett of Jackson. Darren LaMarca, the assistant U.S. attorney, who, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Moses, is prosecuting the cases, said Tyler would normally be represented by federal public defender Dennis Joiner in such a situation. However, Joiner is representing another defendant in the case, and therefore, another attorney will be appointed to represent Tyler. Tyler was facing a more serious charge of continuing a criminal enterprise, but that charge was dropped as part of his plea agreement.

Wallace and Bunch are scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 7. The other person arrested, John Dillard, 61, requested a trial, which is scheduled to start Monday.

The arrests were based on warrants and made by Vicksburg police officers, Warren County deputies, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents, Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area agents, Federal Bureau of Investigations agents, U.S. Marshals and Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol officers. A press release from U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton’s office said agents seized three kilograms of cocaine, more than $100,000 in cash and illegal weapons in executing search warrants and successfully traced the source of crack cocaine to a Dallas supplier.

The investigation included undercover purchases of over 380 grams of crack cocaine.

Moffett, who termed the group the “Tyler Organization,” said he believed the group was selling more than eight kilos of crack cocaine in Vicksburg per month. That’s 17.6 pounds.

All suspects who were arrested in the drug raid and charged except Bunch and Dillard had previous felony convictions.