Jefferson Parish Man Indicted for Making False Statement to United States Coast Guard

According to court documents, FREMEN was a licensed merchant mariner and holder of a 100-Ton United States Coast Guard master’s license.  In late 2018, FREMEN applied for a job to work on a vessel.  The prospective employer required FREMEN to submit to a drug screening, which he failed.  In response to the failed drug test, FREMEN submitted an altered medication prescription to the United States Coast Guard on July 1, 2019, to justify his failed drug test.

If convicted of this violation, FREMEN faces a prison term of up to five years, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.  The matter is currently set for trial on December 4, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Gulf Region.  Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.