New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - TERRELL KELLEY ("KELLEY"), age 34, was sentenced to a ninety-seven (97) month term of imprisonment on July 14, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan. KELLEY was ordered to pay a $600 mandatory special assessment fee and serve a six (6) year term of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to court documents, KELLEY previously pleaded guilty to three (3) counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, two (2) counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The aforementioned narcotics and firearms charges relate to three separate incidents, as follows. On August 20, 2020, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers attempted to arrest KELLEY on an outstanding warrant. After a standoff, KELLEY surrendered, and a search warrant was obtained for the residence where he was located. The search revealed $10,000 in cash, a Glock pistol, an extended magazine, assorted ammunition, 21 grams of crack, 8.51 grams of heroin, and 25 Tramadol pills. Due to previous felony convictions, KELLEY is prohibited from possessing a firearm. On December 16, 2021, NOPD officers observed KELLEY conducting multiple hand-to-hand narcotics transactions. KELLEY was apprehended and evidence of the narcotics transactions, including 1.1 grams of crack, plastic baggies, and cash were recovered. These items are consistent with street-level narcotics distribution. Finally, on February 3, 2023, NOPD officers again encountered KELLEY and found him to be in possession of a Glock nine-millimeter handgun, a total of 25 Tapentadol tablets, and $280 cash, all consistent with street-level narcotics distribution.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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