News

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Barry Paul Vining, age 57, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 78 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of child pornography. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Victorino De La Cruz, age 42, of Mableton, Georgia, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Gernesia Williams, 47, of Baton Rouge, to 13 months in federal prison following her conviction for knowing conversion of government funds. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Damond Reynard Lockett, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 105 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

A federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Ecknozzio C. Jackson, Jr., age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with distribution of heroin and fentanyl with death and serious bodily injury resulting from the use of the heroin and fentanyl. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that a Bill of Information has been filed charging Damian R. Raby, age 41, of Gonzales, Louisiana, with conspiracy to launder money and obstructing the administration of the internal revenue laws, relating to a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud a COVID-19 economic relief program.

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Marvin Martinez-Ruiz, age 42, of Honduras, to 63 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. 

U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $1,500,000 to Louisiana State Police for the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) to research, review, and collect lawfully-owed DNA from arrestees and convicted offenders for enrollment in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in hopes that they will return hits to generate new investigative information in unsolved cases. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, to 84 months in federal prison following his conviction for making a false statement to a bank in connection with numerous fraudulent applications that he filed to obtain funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Marco Godinez, age 36, of Houston, Texas, to 60 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. 

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Myaika Gross, age 40, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to wire fraud in connection with her defrauding of the COVID-19 relief programs.