Bryan Turner, 20, pleaded guilty on September 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses. According to court documents, Turner had been selling narcotics in New Orleans since at least 2023 and conspired with his brother and co-defendant Ryan Johnson to distribute drugs.
On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence shared by Turner and Johnson. Officers recovered firearms belonging to both men as well as large quantities of marijuana, tapentadol, and tramadol intended for sale. Additional items found included a face mask, gloves, and burglary tools.
Turner faces significant penalties for these convictions. For the drug-trafficking offenses, he could receive up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. For possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison—served consecutively with any other count—a fine up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," according to the press release. "On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation alongside the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
