NEW ORLEANS, LA – A sprawling drug operation funneling narcotics into Louisiana’s Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes has been dismantled, with eight individuals now facing serious federal charges. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the unsealing of a seven-count indictment today, sending a clear message that the Eastern District of Louisiana will not tolerate the poison peddling that destroys communities.
The indictment names LIONEL DUNCAN, 34, of Thibodaux, Louisiana; JOHN PAUL GAGE JR., 42, of Des Allemands, Louisiana; LINEZ GREEN, 30, of Thibodaux, Louisiana; YOLANDA TILLMAN, 42, of Des Allemands, Louisiana; JAMES WILLIAMS, 64, of Schriever, Louisiana; MICHAEL LEWIS, 47, of Thibodaux, Louisiana; RYDELLE ROUNDS, 40, of Thibodaux, Louisiana; and ANJHAELYN HAYNES, 28, of Humble, Texas. All eight were arrested by local law enforcement in coordination with federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents on June 10, 2024.
At the heart of the case is a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, detailed in Count 1 of the indictment. If convicted, each defendant faces a hefty penalty: a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release. The feds are throwing the book at these operators, and rightly so. LINEZ GREEN and JOHN PAUL GAGE JR. also face Count 3, while JOHN PAUL GAGE JR. and RYDELLE ROUNDS are implicated in Count 6, both stemming from illegal use of a communications facility – a modern-day tool for dirty business. Conviction on these counts carries up to 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine, plus supervised release.
The indictment further details LINEZ GREEN’s alleged involvement in the direct distribution of methamphetamine, outlined in Counts 2, 4, and 5. These charges carry a potential sentence of up to twenty years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a minimum of three years of supervised release. Meanwhile, ANJHAELYN HAYNES is accused of possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine (Count 7), a charge that carries a minimum five-year sentence and a maximum of 40 years, alongside a $5,000,000 fine and at least four years of supervised release. Each count also includes a mandatory $100 special assessment fee – a small price to pay for the damage they’ve inflicted.
Investigators allege the conspiracy stretched from an unknown date up to at least May 4, 2024, with the group sourcing narcotics from Houston, Texas, and transporting them to the Thibodaux, Louisiana area. The operation relied heavily on wire and electronic communications, leaving a digital trail for the DEA to follow. This wasn’t some backwoods operation; it was a sophisticated network aiming to flood the region with drugs.
This takedown is part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, a multi-agency effort to dismantle high-level criminal organizations. U.S. Attorney Evans commended the collaborative work of the DEA, Louisiana State Police, Thibodaux Police Department, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit is leading the prosecution. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds, exposing the underbelly of crime in Louisiana and beyond. Find more information on OCDETF at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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