Mexican National, New Orleans Man, and Vacherie Man Indicted for Cocaine Conspiracy and Distribution following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - A recently unsealed superseding indictment charged three men, HECTOR MARQUEZ MARQUEZ ("MARQUEZ"), age 22, a resident of the Republic of Mexico, TONTA OCTAVE ("OCTAVE"), age 48, of Vacherie, Louisiana, and LAMONT WILLIAMS ("WILLIAMS"), age 50, of New Orleans, with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, over 5 kilograms of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A) and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. WILLIAMS and MARQUEZ are also each charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).

MARQUEZ faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. WILLIAMS and OCTAVE each face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $20,000,000, a term of supervised release of not less than 10 years and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per charged count.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. John's Parish Sheriff's Office, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit oversees the prosecution.

This case is brought pursuant to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

* * *