METAIRIE, LA – Ronnie Williams, 22, of Metairie, is facing a lengthy federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to a slew of drug and weapons charges stemming from a January 2022 bust. The case, a joint operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, paints a picture of brazen open-air dealing and disregard for the law.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2022, agents surveilled the 500 block of N. Elm Street, observing Williams receiving a backpack stuffed with marijuana, cocaine base, and fentanyl from a co-defendant. Over the next hour, Williams allegedly conducted multiple drug sales to customers arriving by vehicle, further involving other co-conspirators. The operation wasn’t subtle; Williams was openly peddling poison in broad daylight.
When law enforcement moved in, Williams didn’t hesitate. He bolted, ditching a handgun loaded with an extended magazine containing a staggering 24 rounds of ammunition. This wasn’t just any firearm; Williams is already a convicted felon, barred from possessing guns due to a prior Louisiana conviction for heroin distribution. The weapon wasn’t for self-defense, but for protecting his illicit business, authorities say.
Williams now faces a mountain of potential penalties. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges carry a combined maximum sentence stretching decades in prison and over $1 million in fines.
Specifically, Williams faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the drug conspiracy and distribution charges. The firearms conspiracy carries a maximum 20-year sentence and a $250,000 fine. Being a felon in possession of a firearm could add another 10 years and a $250,000 fine. However, the most severe penalty comes from the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime – a mandatory minimum of five years up to life in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence. Each count also includes a $100 special assessment fee.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is handling the prosecution. While PSN boasts lofty goals of community safety, it remains to be seen if this conviction will truly make a dent in the drug trade plaguing the streets of Metairie. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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