Brian Burns, 34, of Reserve, Louisiana, is going down hard after pleading guilty today to federal charges tied to a serious methamphetamine operation and an arsenal of illegal firearms. The plea, handed down in federal court, caps a DEA and local law enforcement crackdown on drug-fueled violence in St. John the Baptist Parish.
Court records show Burns admitted to conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine—a quantity that triggers a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. For that charge alone, Burns faces up to 40 years behind bars, a fine of $5,000,000, and no less than four years of supervised release after any prison term.
But the drug charge is only half the story. Burns also pleaded guilty to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime—a federal hammer that guarantees prison time. He was found in possession of a Remington Model AR-15, .223 caliber semi-automatic assault rifle; a Kel-Tec Model Tec-9, 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine; and a Taurus Model 738 TCP, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
For the gun charge, Burns faces a minimum of five years in prison—mandatory and consecutive to any other sentence—up to life behind bars. The federal statute also allows for a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release post-incarceration. With both charges stacked, Burns is looking at decades of confinement, possibly longer.
Sentencing is set for May 17, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Jonathan L. Shih, are pushing for maximum consequences under the law.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans credited the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office for their relentless work in dismantling Burns’ operation. “This case sends a clear message,” Evans said. “Trafficking poison and arming yourself for violence will not be tolerated in this district.”
Related Federal Cases
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- Zwolle Man Pleads Guilty to Meth, Gun Charges · Louisiana
- Shreveport Dealer Paul Garza Gets 11+ Years for Meth, Gun Charges · Texas
- Scottron Medlock Sentenced for Meth Distribution · Louisiana
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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