Alfred Clay, Cocaine Trafficking, Louisiana 2024

New Orleans, Louisiana - A massive cocaine trafficking operation in the Big Easy has been brought to a grinding halt, thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies.

According to court documents, Alfred Clay, a 59-year-old New Orleans resident, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee on January 10, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, all in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846.

Clay and his co-conspirators were responsible for distributing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana, as part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.

During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized over 40 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, six kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half kilograms of heroin, and nearly $700,000 in U.S. currency and other seized property.

This prosecution is part of an OCDETF investigation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the St. John's Parish Sheriff's Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

Clay's sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in large-scale cocaine trafficking operations. As the people of New Orleans continue to struggle with the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic, it is more important than ever that law enforcement agencies remain vigilant in their pursuit of those responsible for perpetuating this scourge.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/new-orleans-man-sentenced-violations-federal-controlled-substances-act-0