FEDERAL JUDGE SENTENCES MAN TO OVER 7 YEARS FOR POSSESSING A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME
ERROL BLANKS, age 30, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., to ninety-three (93) months imprisonment for possessing a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”) with the intent to distribute and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his possession of cocaine base, announced U. S Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Duval imposed three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. During the three-year term the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
On July 28, 2010, BLANKS previously entered a guilty plea admitting that on December 22, 2008, he possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine and an automatic handgun in furtherance of his intended distribution.
After sentencing, BLANKS was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service to begin his term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Carter.
