Kennelius Brown, age 36, pleaded guilty on April 16 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced on April 22.
Brown was charged along with co-defendants in a multi-count superseding indictment related to narcotics trafficking and firearms violations. According to court documents, from late 2022 until May of 2023, Brown and others distributed fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area and possessed marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl. Loaded firearms were found near the controlled substances during the investigation.
Brown will be sentenced on August 5 and faces significant penalties for each count. For possession with intent to distribute controlled substances (Count 2), he faces a mandatory minimum of five years up to forty years imprisonment, fines up to $5 million, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. For being a felon in possession of a firearm (Count 4), he could receive up to fifteen years imprisonment, fines up to $250,000, up to three years supervised release, and another $100 special assessment fee.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice that aims "to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." The operation coordinates efforts through Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case while Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel leads prosecution efforts. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana enhances community safety through law enforcement efforts according to its official website. The office operates under the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
The U.S. Attorney's Office enforces federal laws as chief federal law enforcement officer for Southeast Louisiana according to its official website. Appointed by the President with Senate approval according to its official website, it prosecutes criminal cases while also defending civil matters for residents in Southeast Louisiana.
