NEW ORLEANS – Tonta J.  Octave, 34, and his brother Kavis Octave, 31, both residents of Vacherie, were found guilty in four counts of a five-count indictment for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine base, or crack, by a federal jury after a two-day trial, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

 Among other things, the jury heard testimony that on three separate occasions in March and May of this year, the brothers, alone and/or working together, sold between one and two ounces of cocaine base to a Drug Enforcement Administration cooperating informant. These drugs sales were captured on audio-video recordings. In addition, at the time of Tonta Octave’s arrest for these crimes, he was found attempting to flee his residence in a vehicle and had with him $25,747 in cash that had been keep in a freezer and was still ice cold. That money was forfeited as drug proceeds at the conclusion of the trial.

Tonta Octave faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $8,000,000 and a term of eight years of supervised release. Kavis Octave faces a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000 and a term of four years of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 21, 2013, before the Honorable Lance M. Africk.  

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean Toomey and Andre Lagarde.