Eastside Hollygrove Residents Busted in Major Heroin and Gun Ring

In a major blow to the city’s narcotics trade, four Eastside Hollygrove residents have been charged with heroin and gun conspiracy. According to court documents, Jonathan Lawrence, Donald Marcelin, Brandon Hall, and Brian Maxson are accused of violating federal laws regarding the distribution and possession of heroin, as well as the possession of firearms in furtherance of their drug-trafficking activities.

The indictment, unsealed by U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite, charges the defendants with a two-count indictment. Count One alleges that all four defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, while Count Two accuses LAWRENCE, HALL, and MAXSON of conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of their drug-trafficking activities.

If convicted of the drug charge, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. If convicted of the firearm charge, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Polite emphasized that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Division’s Violent Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO), is a testament to the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in tackling the city’s narcotics trade.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long will be handling the prosecution.