Byrd Gang Member Sentenced for Racketeering, Firearm, and Drug Conspiracies

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SAMUEL MORTON (“MORTON”),a/k/a “Sosa,” age 27, from New Orleans, was sentenced on July 2, 2025, for violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d), conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1962(d); conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 846,; and conspiracy to possess firearms, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(o),.

According to court documents, MORTON was a member of the Byrd Gang, which operated primarily out of the former Magnolia Housing Development in Central City New Orleans. MORTON and other members of this organization and their associates ran a violent drug trafficking ring in and around New Orleans dating back to 2014. Its members daily distributed drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and marijuana, and always possessed firearms. The gang, and MORTON specifically, committed many acts of violence, often in furtherance of an ongoing feud with its rivals, the Ghost Gang. Numerous individuals have been shot and killed on both sides, and innocent bystanders have also been caught in these retaliatory shootings.

United States District Judge Milazzo sentenced MORTON to 216 months imprisonment for each count, to be served concurrently, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. MORTON was also ordered to pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.