Dan Pizarro Gets Life for Heroin, Meth Conspiracy in New Orleans

A California man has been slammed with a life sentence for flooding New Orleans with high-grade methamphetamine and heroin. Dan Pizarro, 48, of California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman after a federal jury convicted him in August 2017 of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin.

The case traces back to June 2014, when St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) deputies arrested two men selling meth on West Judge Perez Drive in Arabi, Louisiana. Those arrests cracked open a pipeline stretching from California to the Gulf Coast. Investigators quickly uncovered that Pizarro had personally connected the local dealers to a West Coast supplier, igniting a drug operation designed to profit off addiction.

Even after Pizarro left Louisiana, he stayed in control. Authorities say he continued directing the conspiracy from afar. SBSO deputies teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to monitor suspicious packages. Between June 26 and 27, 2014, federal agents and local law enforcement intercepted four Federal Express shipments bound for Arabi — each packed with methamphetamine.

The total haul: more than one kilogram of crystal-clear poison. DEA lab tests revealed the meth was nearly pure — with samples clocking in at over 99% purity. One package contained meth that was 100% pure, a deadly level of potency capable of ravaging communities already struggling with substance abuse.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, who oversaw the prosecution, credited the DEA and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office for dismantling the ring. He also extended thanks to the Los Angeles Police Department for critical assistance in tracking Pizarro’s movements and connections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and Matthew Payne handled the case in court.

With today’s sentencing, Pizarro will serve life in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. The verdict marks a major strike against out-of-state traffickers exploiting Louisiana’s vulnerabilities — and sends a clear message: fueling a drug epidemic comes with a lifetime price.