Duane A. Evans, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
A New Orleans resident, Donte Edwards, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for narcotics and firearms offenses. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance on January 15, 2025, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Court documents revealed that Edwards and co-defendant Carlos Jones were indicted on multiple counts related to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans from January through June 2022. Edwards pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (crack), as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The charges against Edwards stemmed from violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act. Due to his prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department of Justice launched a strategy on May 26, 2021, to strengthen PSN by focusing on fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives alongside the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy from the Violent Crimes Unit led the prosecution.
