⏱ 3 min read
A 20-year-old New Orleans dealer is facing up to life in prison after pleading guilty to federal drug and gun charges. Lionel Winding Jr. admitted to conspiring to distribute massive amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of the crime. The guilty plea came on April 14, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
According to court documents, Winding and his co-conspirators sold the deadly substances to buyers between November 2024 and January 2025. In two of those transactions, Winding was personally armed with a handgun. He was arrested on January 30, 2025, after a search of his motel room turned up cocaine, marijuana, and a Glock Model 22 firearm.
The charges against Winding include conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to $10 million in fines, and at least five years of supervised release.
Winding’s guilty plea is a significant blow to the city’s ongoing struggle with the opioid epidemic. Law enforcement agencies in the region have been working tirelessly to disrupt the flow of illicit substances and hold dealers accountable for their crimes.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Methamphetamine
- Location: LA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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