United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana
04/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/22/2026 11:06
New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - KENNELIUS BROWN ("BROWN"), age 36, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, BROWN was charged along with co-defendants in a multi-count superseding indictment with narcotics trafficking and firearms violations. According to the superseding indictment, from late 2022 until May of 2023, the men distributed fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area and possessed marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl. Moreover, loaded firearms were found nearby the controlled substances located throughout this investigation, indicating the firearms were being utilized to further the drug trafficking crimes.
BROWN will be sentenced on August 5, 2026, and faces the following penalties:
Count 2 - Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances 21 U.S.C § § 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). A mandatory minimum of five (5) years imprisonment up to forty (40) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of not more than $5,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Count 4 - Felon in Possession of a Firearm18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). A maximum of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana published this content on April 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 22, 2026 at 17:06 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]