U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans | U.S. Department of Justice
Marcus Theodore, a 33-year-old resident of New Orleans, has pled guilty to charges related to federal gun control and controlled substances violations. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the plea on January 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials discovered Theodore's involvement in narcotics distribution around the former Calliope Projects. The FBI utilized confidential sources for controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Theodore and his associates from mid-2022 through early 2023. Subsequently, Title III intercepts were initiated on two of Theodore’s phones in February 2023.
The intercepted communications revealed that Theodore was distributing varying quantities of narcotics daily over several months. In March 2023, following these findings, the FBI executed federal search warrants connected to Theodore. On March 15, 2023, agents stopped him while driving and found a Glock Model 19 handgun with a loaded chamber in his waistband and approximately 50.4 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture in his coat pocket. Further searches uncovered around 165.8 grams of fentanyl along with drug processing equipment.
Theodore had previous state convictions for attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin, manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and firearm possession by a felon; thus prohibited from firearm possession.
Federally charged with conspiring to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl among other offenses, Theodore also faced a recidivist enhancement due to his prior manslaughter conviction which increased penalties for the drug-related crimes.
On January 10, he pled guilty to charges including possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm while acknowledging the recidivist enhancement application.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2025. For the charge of possessing more than 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, Theodore faces ten years up to life imprisonment along with fines and supervised release terms. Additional charges carry further penalties leading to an overall mandatory minimum sentence starting at fifteen years up to life imprisonment.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming at reducing violent crime through community collaboration and strategic enforcement priorities as outlined by the Department's strategy launched on May 26, 2021.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation while Assistant United States Attorney David Haller prosecutes as Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.
