Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges

NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ELIAS SALAS, age 19, from Edinburgh, Texas, pleaded guilty on as charged on August 8, 2023 to Count 1 of the indictment, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.  

SALAS faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, at least five years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kenner Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.