LeJeune Harris Gets 20 Years in Heroin Trafficking

NEW ORLEANS, LA – LeJeune Harris, 43, of New Orleans, will spend the next two decades behind bars after being sentenced today for his role in a large-scale interstate heroin operation. Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing, marking a significant blow to drug trafficking networks operating in the Gulf South.

Harris previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more heroin, and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more heroin. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo handed down a 240-month sentence on the drug conspiracy charge, with concurrent 120-month sentences on the possession and attempted possession counts. Following his imprisonment, Harris will face ten years of supervised release.

The case unfolded after a traffic stop on Interstate-10 East in Calcasieu Parish. Law enforcement discovered four packages of heroin, totaling approximately one kilogram, inside a Fiat. The driver revealed she’d been paid $1,000 in cash by Larry Dupor of Houston to deliver the drugs to Harris at a car wash in New Orleans East. This wasn’t a one-off; the driver confessed to multiple prior deliveries between Dupor and Harris, painting a picture of a consistent and calculated operation.

Federal investigators quickly turned the driver into a cooperating witness. She agreed to make a controlled delivery of ‘sham’ heroin – fake drugs – to Harris. Under surveillance, the driver met with Harris, who took the 750-kilogram sham packages and handed over $2,000 in cash. Agents then moved in, detaining Harris at the car wash office. A subsequent search warrant revealed an additional 479 grams of heroin stashed in a hidden compartment, along with the three sham packages Harris had stowed away.

Larry Dupor, the Houston supplier, has already pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and attempted distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2017. The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations, demonstrates a concerted effort to dismantle these cross-state drug pipelines.

“This sentence sends a clear message that we will aggressively pursue and prosecute those who flood our communities with deadly drugs,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Evans. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael B. Redmann and Shirin Hakimzadeh were responsible for the prosecution of this case. The Grimy Times will continue to follow the sentencing of Larry Dupor and any further developments in this ongoing investigation.