A St. Bernard Parish resident, Abe Jyles, aged 44, has pled guilty to federal gun and drug charges in New Orleans. The plea was entered on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter. Jyles faced three counts from a superseding bill of information.

Count 1 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime under Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Count 2 involved possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine under Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Count 3 charged him as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition under Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and § 924(a)(8).

For Count 1, Jyles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000. This sentence must run consecutively with any other count. He also faces up to five years of supervised release.

Count 2 carries up to a maximum of twenty years in prison, fines reaching $1 million, and supervised release ranging from three years to life.

For Count 3, he could face fifteen years imprisonment with fines up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.

Each count also requires the payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

Jyles was identified during a traffic stop by the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office on February 29, 2024. Officers detected marijuana odor from his vehicle leading them to detain him and search the car. They found illegal narcotics along with four firearms inside the vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Jyles was on federal supervised release following his conviction for federal drug trafficking in 2008.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, an enhanced strategy for PSN was launched focusing on trust-building within communities while supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs.

The investigation involved both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu Jr., from the Narcotics Unit is handling prosecution duties.