Lionel Winding, Jr., age 21, was sentenced on July 14 by Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $700 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to seven federal drug and gun offenses, according to U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
Winding was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, two counts of distributing various quantities of fentanyl, two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Court documents show that between November 2024 and January 2025, Winding and his co-conspirators sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms during five transactions with individuals he believed were legitimate purchasers affiliated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Winding was armed with a handgun during two transactions. He was arrested on January 30, 2025; law enforcement officers searched his motel room, where they recovered cocaine, marijuana intended for sale, and a Glock Model 22 firearm equipped with a drum magazine loaded with ammunition.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative utilizing Department of Justice resources aimed at combating illegal immigration as well as eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.