Wilbert Smith, age 46, of New Orleans, was found guilty on all seven counts of a superseding indictment following a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, according to an Aug. 4 announcement by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Sentencing is scheduled for November 19.
Smith was convicted in Count 1 of conspiring with others to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and in Count 2 of possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl as well as quantities of cocaine and heroin, in violation of federal law. For both counts, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10 million fine, and at least five years supervised release.
Smith was also convicted in Count 4 for possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy charged in Count 1; this carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years supervised release. In addition, Smith was found guilty in Count 6 for being a felon in possession of firearms; at sentencing he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment and fines.
In Counts 8 and 9 related to machineguns, Smith was convicted both for possession (up to ten years imprisonment) and possession during furtherance of drug-trafficking (mandatory minimum thirty-year consecutive sentence). He also faces conviction under Count 10 for maintaining drug-involved premises, which carries penalties including up to twenty years imprisonment.
Evidence presented at trial showed that from an unknown date until at least May 8, Smith maintained three residences in the Algiers neighborhood used for packaging and distributing narcotics including fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Federal search warrants executed on May 8 led authorities to seize multiple firearms—including a machinegun—over $41,000 cash, drug paraphernalia such as blenders and digital scales, as well as approximately 416 grams mixture containing fentanyl/heroin plus over one hundred grams cocaine.
United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work by the Drug Enforcement Administration along with other federal and local agencies involved in the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Stuart Theriot from the Violent Crimes Unit and Briana Williams from the Narcotics Unit.