New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Distribute Ketamine Which Resulted In the Death of A Teenager Whose Body Was Found Floating In A Texas Bayou

NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that WILLIAM HARRISON FARRIS, age 39, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine which resulted in the death of a Slidell, Louisiana teenager.  The eighteen year old’s dead body was found floating in a Texas bayou.

As described in court documents, FARRIS, along with KACIE DOUCET, age 37, and LEILANI ASPURIA, age 25, conspired to incapacitate the teenager with drugs so that he could be transported to Texas law enforcement authorities.  FARRIS, DOUCET, and ASPURIA did so in the hope of receiving free drugs from two large scale Texas-based methamphetamine dealers.  These dealers, a married couple, had told their New Orleans customers that they wanted the teenager so they would not lose the $6000 bond they had posted for him months earlier.

FARRIS faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a possible fine of 500,000, and at least 2 years of supervised release.  U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for FARRIS on October 23, 2019. 

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Houston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and David Howard Sinkman are in charge of the prosecution.      

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