New Orleans Men Plead Guilty to Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOHN GUILLORY, III, age 52, JOHN PETRIE, age 39, DEVIN JOHNSON, age 37, and LARRY MOSES, age 22, all residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.  GUILLORY, PETRIE and JOHNSON each pled guilty to superseding bills of information charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of controlled substances, including cocaine hydrochloride, cocaine base (“crack”), marijuana, and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 846.  GUILLORY also pled guilty to one count of distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and three counts of distribution of crack, all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  Finally, GUILLORY, PETRIE, and MOSES pled guilty to being felons in possession of firearms in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

According to court documents, between December 2020 and August 2021, a confidential source made four controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from GUILLORY. Further investigation revealed that PETRIE was GUILLORY’S narcotics source of supply and  JOHNSON was PETRIE’S narcotics source of supply.  On June 29, 2022, DEA Special Agents  obtained warrants and searched the residences of all four men,  seizing quantities of cocaine hydrochloride, crack, marijuana,  fentanyl and heroin .   Agents also seized a total of six firearms, including a KAHR Model CW9, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, a Taurus Model PT 24/7 Pro C DS, .45 caliber pistol, a Taurus Model PT111 G2, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, a Smith and Wesson Model SW40VE, .40 caliber pistol, an HK Model P30SK, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, and a Sarsilmaz Model SAR9, nine-millimeter handgun from GUILLORY, PETRIE and MOSES’s residences.

For the drug counts, GUILLORY, PETRIE, and JOHNSON each face a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a term of supervised release of at least three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count.

For the firearm counts, GUILLORY, PETRIE, and MOSES each face a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 per count.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.