Federal law enforcement initiative leads to charges against nine suspects on firearm, drug trafficking offenses – Weekly Citizen

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

United States Attorney Ronald C. GatheJr. announced that an investigation into a drug trafficking organization based out of Ascension Parish has resulted in a federal grand jury superseding indictment leading to the arrest of nine suspects on various firearm and drug trafficking offenses.

According to the indictment, the defendants engaged in an extensive drug trafficking venture where they distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in the Middle District of Louisiana.Agents seized over nine kilograms of methamphetamine and several firearms during the investigation.

Charged and arrested as part of this initiative were the following individuals:

This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and task force officers from Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office and Baton Rouge Police Department with critical assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office, Gonzales Police Department, West Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office, and Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief, overseeing the newly formed Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers.Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney Generals drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.

The news release noted an indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.

Read this article:

Federal law enforcement initiative leads to charges against nine suspects on firearm, drug trafficking offenses - Weekly Citizen