Jerad M. Barrett, a 41-year-old resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 26, 2025, for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act. Barrett had previously pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fifty kilograms or more of marijuana, as well as maintaining a drug-involved premises. These charges are in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 846, and 856(a)(1). Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Barrett received a sentence of 135 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $400 mandatory special assessment fee.
Court documents revealed that Barrett maintained his residence for cultivating and distributing kilogram quantities of marijuana with assistance from his mother. Agents discovered communications between Barrett and his mother concerning the distribution, packaging, and relocation of narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana. The investigation led agents to recover approximately 940 kilograms of marijuana stored in plastic bins and barrels at Barrett's residence and multiple storage units associated with him.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman from the Narcotics Unit is handling the prosecution.
