Henry Mitchell, Drug and Gun Offenses, Louisiana 2025

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - In a shocking turn of events, two New Orleans residents were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their involvement in a brazen drug trafficking operation in the city. Henry Mitchell, 35, and Jaylan Washington, 30, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the sale and possession of controlled substances and firearms.

The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force and the New Orleans Police Department, uncovered a web of deceit and corruption that spanned the Plum Orchard Neighborhood. According to court documents, Mitchell and Washington were openly selling various controlled substances, including marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol, in the neighborhood.

The operation, which was exposed after receiving multiple citizen complaints, led to the arrest of Mitchell and Washington. A search of their vehicles revealed a stash of controlled substances and firearms, including 'Glock switches' that convert semiautomatic weapons into fully automatic ones.

The two defendants have prior felony convictions, including ones for violating drug and firearm laws. Mitchell's extensive rap sheet includes multiple convictions for possession and distribution of controlled substances, as well as several firearm-related offenses.

On July 22, 2025, United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced Mitchell to 151 months in prison for each of the following charges: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol (21 U.S.C. § 846); Possession With Intent to Distribute marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) & (b)(1)(C)); Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)); Possession of a Machine Gun (18 U.S.C. § Section 922(o)); and Possession of a Machine Gun (18 U.S.C. § 922(o)).

Washington received similar sentences for the following charges: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol (21 U.S.C. § 846); Possession with Intent to Distribute marijuana, and tapentadol (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C)); Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)); and Possession of a Machine Gun (18 U.S.C. § 922(o)).

Both defendants were ordered to pay $500 and $400 in mandatory special assessment fees, respectively. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with each other.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities across the country. The PSN initiative brings together law enforcement agencies and community organizations to foster trust and legitimacy in neighborhoods and prevent violence from occurring in the first place.

Henry Mitchell, Defendant:

• Defendant full name: Henry Mitchell
• Criminal charges: Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol (21 U.S.C. § 846); Possession With Intent to Distribute marijuana, fentanyl, tapentadol, and tramadol (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) & (b)(1)(C)); Felon in Possession of a Firearm (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)); Possession of a Machine Gun (18 U.S.C. § Section 922(o)); and Possession of a Machine Gun (18 U.S.C. § 922(o))
• City and state: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Date: July 22, 2025
• Sentence: 151 months in prison for each of the above charges, with all sentences running concurrently
• Dollar amounts: $500 in mandatory special assessment fees

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/two-new-orleans-men-plead-guilty-multiple-drug-and-gun-offenses