St. Bernard Parish Man Guilty of Federal Gun and Drug Violations

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ABE JYLES (“JYLES”), age 44, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a superseding bill of information that was filed against him.  Count 1 charged JYLES with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  Count 2 charged him with possession, with the intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).  Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).  JYLES faces the following sentences as to each count:

As to Count 1, JYLES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years  up to a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Any jail sentence imposed in connection with Count 1 must run consecutive to any other count.  He will also face up to five years of supervised release.  He will also face up to five years of supervised release.

As to Count 2, JYLES faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.

As to Count 3, JYLES faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

Additionally, as to each charged count, JYLES faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

On February 29, 2024, JYLES was identified as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle.   involved in a traffic stop by St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office personnel.  After law enforcement personnel noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, they detained JYLES and searched the vehicle.  During the search, multiple illegal narcotics, a scale, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms were found inside the vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, JYLES was on federal supervised release due to his 2008 federal drug trafficking conviction.

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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.