Brothers Plead Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DUSTIN DINET, age 32, of New Orleans, and STEVEN DINET, age 44, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin.

According to paperwork filed with the court, the DINETs, who are brothers, admitted to conspiring together to deal crack cocaine and heroin.  The DINETs acknowledged making three sales of an ounce of crack each to an undercover source.  They also admitted that approximately ¼ kilogram of heroin and $78,000 discovered during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Marrero, La. belonged to them.  Each of the brothers faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to forty years, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5 million, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.  Sentencing is set before Judge Milazzo on July 25, 2019.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.

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