Two New Orleans Residents Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms in Heroin Conspiracy

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CHRISTOPHER FRANCIS, age 32, and VINCENT JONES, age 46, both of New Orleans, were sentenced today after having previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced FRANCIS to 240 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.  Judge Barbier sentenced JONES to 180 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. 

FRANCIS and JONES were two of twelve defendants charged in a 23-count Indictment on July 25, 2014.  According to court documents, this Indictment sprung from an investigation into a heroin-trafficking organization operating in New Orleans East.  This organization was responsible for distributing at least 15 kilograms of heroin in the New Orleans area.  As part of the arrests in this case, federal agents have seized from the twelve defendants approximately $1,200,000 in assets (a combination of vehicles, currency, jewelry, and real property) as proceeds made from the sale of heroin.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long was in charge of the prosecution.