New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin and Firearms Charges
Published 7:00 am Sunday, June 5, 2022
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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LAWRENCE ROBERTSON (“ROBERTSON”), age 37, pled guilty on June 2, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846; one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on September 11, 2018, ROBERTSON possessed over 40 grams of fentanyl, quantities of heroin, and a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol.
On the drug conspiracy count, ROBERTSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 40 years of imprisonment, at least 4 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. On the firearm count, ROBERTSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, up to 5 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih is in charge of the prosecution.
