United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Jonas Richard, a 43-year-old resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on January 16, 2025, to three counts of distribution of fentanyl. These charges were part of a superseding indictment under Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).

Richard faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for each count. Additionally, he could be fined up to $1,000,000 and will have at least three years of supervised release. There is also a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count. Sentencing is scheduled for April 24, 2025.

Court documents reveal that on August 24, 2023, during operation Big Easy in the French Quarter of New Orleans, undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were approached by Richard with an offer to sell narcotics. After negotiating a price for heroin with the agents, Richard contacted his supplier who delivered the drugs to him. The substances were later tested and identified as fentanyl weighing 3.36 grams.

Subsequent interactions included an August 28 meeting where Richard sold undercover agents 16.26 grams of fentanyl in a New Orleans parking lot. On September 15, Richard sold them more fentanyl-laced heroin in two packages weighing 12.10 grams and 4.02 grams respectively.

This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Dawkins from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.