On April 10, 2025, DJohn Bryant, aged 32, pleaded guilty to federal charges of drug and weapons offenses in New Orleans. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson confirmed Bryant's admission of guilt to charges including possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Court records revealed that Bryant was apprehended by the New Orleans Police Department on February 4, 2024, after officers observed him conducting drug transactions. Upon his arrest, law enforcement found him in possession of several controlled substances, including cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, tapentadol, and marijuana, alongside a Glock Model 27 .40 caliber handgun and ammunition.
"Under drug trafficking charges, BRYANT faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release," stated the announcement. For the firearm charge linked to the drug crime, Bryant is looking at "a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison," which will run consecutively with other sentences. Additionally, he faces up to a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release, with each charge demanding a $100 special assessment fee.
This legal pursuit is part of "Operation Take Back America," an initiative tasked with combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations. It aligns with efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit.
