Duane A. Evans, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
A New Orleans resident, Lyndell Mims, aged 34, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison following his guilty plea to charges related to drug trafficking and firearm possession. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier on January 30, 2025. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing.
Court records reveal that officers from the New Orleans Police Department stopped Mims' vehicle due to a strong marijuana odor. Upon obtaining a search warrant, officers discovered three firearms, including a Diamondback Firearms Model DB15 and a Glock Model 22. Another firearm was found in the purse of a female passenger accompanying Mims. It was also revealed that Mims was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms.
In addition to the firearms, law enforcement uncovered various drugs and digital scales in Mims' vehicle. The drugs included methamphetamine, cocaine mixed with heroin and fentanyl, psilocyn, marijuana packaged in small bags, Tramadol pills, Buprenorphine/suboxone packets, Tapentadol pills, oxycodone pills, fentanyl pills, and miscellaneous others.
Judge Barbier's sentence for Mims includes three years of supervised release after imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation alongside the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Haller serves as Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator for this prosecution.
