Duane A. Evans, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Carlos Jones, a 32-year-old resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to narcotics and weapons offenses on February 5, 2025. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance.
Jones and co-defendant Donte Edwards were charged in an 11-count indictment related to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act. These charges stem from activities involving narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans between January and June 2022. Specifically, Jones conspired with Edwards to distribute cocaine base ("crack") within the 7th Ward neighborhood of New Orleans.
Jones pled guilty to four counts of the indictment: conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (crack), possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
For each narcotics charge, Jones faces up to 20 years imprisonment, fines up to $1 million, and at least three years supervised release. For possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, fines up to $250,000, and up to five years supervised release. Additionally, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, he could receive up to ten years imprisonment with similar fines and supervised release terms. Jones will also pay a $400 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Co-defendant Edwards had previously pled guilty and received sentencing.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy from the Violent Crimes Unit is leading the prosecution.
