New Orleans Man Guilty of Multiple Federal Illegal Drug and Firearms Violations

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RASHAD MONTAGUE (“MONTAGUE”), age 33, of New Orleans, pled guilty on June 30, 2025 to an eleven (11) count superseding bill of information before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier. The superseding bill of information charged:

• Count 1 -  Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of Fentanyl and heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846;
• Count 2 – Distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C);
• Counts 3-8 - Distribution of a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C);
• Count 9 – Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C);
• Count 10 – Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A); and
• Count 11 - Maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856 and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

Judge Barbier scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2025.  At sentencing, MONTAGUE faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment with a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three (3) years of supervised release for Counts 1 through 9; up to twenty (20) years imprisonment with a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release for Count 10; and up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, with a fine of up to $500,000, and up to four (4) years of supervised release for Count 11.  All eleven counts also carry a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

According to the indictment, MONTAGUE conspired with others to maintain multiple residences on Harmony Street as drug-involved stash houses where fentanyl and heroin were trafficked.  MONTAGUE distributed fentanyl and heroin from these residences for a period of at least four months and was arrested by law enforcement as he attempted to flee one of these residences during the execution of a federal search warrant.  Firearms and fentanyl were later located in the residence MONTAGUE fled.

This case was part of Operation Big Easy. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballisticinformation-network-nibin.

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.