Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced DONTE EDWARDS (“EDWARDS”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, to 27 months imprisonment.
According to court documents, EDWARDS and co-defendant, Carlos Jones, were charged in an 11-count indictment with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act relating to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans from January through June 2022. Specifically, EDWARDS pled guilty to Counts 1 and 7 of the indictment that charged him with violating 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, controlled substances (crack) and 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Due to previous his felony convictions, EDWARDS is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.