Seven Individuals Charged with Firearm and Drug Conspiracy Charges

DOJ Press

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that a federal grand jury returned a 14-count Superseding Indictment on October 28, 2021 against AL VERNON BROWN, (BROWN), age 48, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, age 37, KEVIN JOHNSON, age 30, DONALD MYLES (MYLES), age 43, ERNEST GREEN (GREEN), age 53, JOHN CRAWFORD (CRAWFORD), age 38, and SUSAN BREAUX (BREAUX), age 46. To protect the integrity of the investigation, the Superseding Indictment remained sealed until now.

The Superseding Indictment charged the defendants with the following Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts:

Count 1:    Conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] (fentanyl), 1 kilogram or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), and 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).

Statutory Penalties: mandatory minimum of ten (10) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five (5) years supervised release (fentanyl and heroin), and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee; mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least four (4) years supervised release (heroin), and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.


Defendants: BROWN, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, KEVIN JOHNSON, BREAUX, MYLES, GREEN, and CRAWFORD


Count 2:    Possession with intent to distribute four hundred (400) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl] (fentanyl) and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

Statutory Penalties: mandatory minimum of (ten) 10 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five (5) years supervised release (fentanyl and heroin); mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least four (4) years supervised release (heroin), and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: BROWN, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

 

Count 3:    Convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).

Statutory Penalties: up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

  

Count 4:    Possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i)

Statutory Penalties: mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of life to run consecutively, not more than $250,000 fine, up to three (5) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

 

Count 5:    Use of a communication facility, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

Statutory Penalties: up to four (4) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one (1) year supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, MYLES 

 

Count 6:    Use of a communication facility, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2

Statutory Penalties: up to four (4) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one (1) year supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: KEVIN JOHNSON, MYLES

 

Count 7:    Use of a communication facility, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2           

Statutory Penalties: up to four (4) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one (1) year supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, BROWN

 

Count 8:    Possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2          

Statutory Penalties: mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least four (4) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: BREAUX, CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, KEVIN JOHNSON, and BROWN

 

Count 9:    Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: BREAUX

 

Count 10:  Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendants: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, KEVIN JOHNSON

 

Count 11:  Possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms of marijuana or less, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D).

Statutory Penalties: up to five (5) years, up to a $250,000 fine and at least two (2) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: KEVIN JOHNSON

 

Count 12:  Possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: GREEN

 

Count 13:  Possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i)

Statutory Penalties: a mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to a maximum of life to run consecutively, not more than $250,000 fine, up to five (5) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.                      

Defendant: GREEN

 

Count 14:  Convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2)

Statutory Penalties: up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Defendant: GREEN

In September 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force (“the Task Force”) initiated an investigation after receiving information about an increase in violent crimes around the 2600 block of Felicity Street and the 1600 block of Magnolia Street in New Orleans, Louisiana where a local car wash and an adjoining barbershop are located. During the investigation, the Task Force learned MYLES and CRAWFORD sold heroin and fentanyl while GREEN sold cocaine at the aforementioned locations. They also learned BROWN, a California resident, supplied heroin and fentanyl to CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON and KEVIN JOHNSON. KEVIN and CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON supplied heroin and fentanyl to MYLES. BREAUX bought heroin from KEVIN and CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON. So far, the Task Force has confiscated over 1.6 kilograms of heroin, 935.9 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and $112,000 cash.

United States Attorney Evans reiterated that a Superseding Indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of each defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, with the assistance of the New Orleans Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Bayonle Osundare is in charge of the prosecution

 

 

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