New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

NEW ORLEANS — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)), published as received.

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that yesterday, SEAN ESPRIT, age 27, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to violations of the Controlled Substances Act and the Gun Control Act. 

According to court records, ESPRIT admitted to jointly possessing with the intent to distribute over a kilogram of heroin, over 400 grams of fentanyl, and a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(C), 846.  ESPRIT also admitted to jointly possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). 

Sentencing is set for March 8, 2023.  On the drug offense, Esprit faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release.  On the firearms charge, Esprit faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release.  Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.