Special to The Leader

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 40-year-old Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal violations related to the murder of a Port Acres woman in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston on Tuesday.

Ozzie Nelson Ibarra pleaded guilty on Aug. 9, 2016, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and conspiracy to use and carry firearms during a crime of violence and drug trafficking crime. Ibarra was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, beginning in 2001, Ibarra and others started robbing women in the parking lots of stores and businesses in Port Arthur, Texas. Ibarra admitted to committing the robberies for the purpose of supporting his crack cocaine habit. The robberies increased to almost daily between 2009 and 2011. During the investigation of these crimes, it was discovered that Ibarra and his co-defendants were responsible for the May 2010 death of a Port Acres, Texas woman who was shot while driving on West Port Arthur Road. Once law enforcement officers became aware of Ibarra’s involvement, they were able to obtain video surveillance from area businesses that verified Ibarra’s presence in the area at the time of the shooting. Ibarra was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 4, 2016.

“The murder of Allison Neil Clark in 2010 was long held as an unsolved cold case, but it was never forgotten by detectives with the Port Arthur Police Department or Allison’s family,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “This tenacious team, joined by federal prosecutor Lesley Woods and Port Arthur Police detectives Alton Baise and Paul Arvizo, focused their time and skills to piece this case together. Today, justice was finally served for the family of Allison, and for the investigators, and the citizens of Port Arthur who were egregiously harmed by these individuals. Ozzie Ibarra will harm no one else in the future!”

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods.