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Press Release

New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms Violations

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that LEROY SMITH, age 32, of New Orleans, pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin.  SMITH also pled guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities. 

According to court documents, in 2014 and 2015, SMITH and others engaged in a conspiracy to distribute acetyl fentanyl and heroin to over twenty different customers in the New Orleans area.  SMITH worked with his co-conspirators to order and receive packages of acetyl fentanyl from a source in China.  In April 2015, law enforcement intercepted two packages of acetyl fentanyl that were mailed from the Chinese source to associates of SMITH in the New Orleans area.  The packages contained a total of one-and-a-half kilograms of acetyl fentanyl, which SMITH planned to package and resell as “heroin” in the New Orleans area.  At the time of his arrest on July 13, 2015, SMITH was in possession of heroin, drug paraphernalia, almost $3000 in United States currency, and multiple loaded firearms. 

SMITH is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum life sentence for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory sentence of at least five years in prison for the firearm charge.  U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set sentencing for November 2, 2016.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Postal Service, Louisiana State Police, New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Office, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Office, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Office, and Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and Nicholas D. Moses are in charge of the prosecution.   

Updated August 4, 2016

Topic
Drug Trafficking