Three area residents sentenced in drug sting

Published 11:45 pm Friday, April 26, 2013

LAPLACE – Three River Parishes residents were sentenced last week by the U.S. District Court judges for drug-related offenses.

Twenty-eight-year-old Darryl Jasmine of Edgard was sentenced to 60 months incarceration last Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon. Jasmin pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with the distribution of more than 28 grams of crack cocaine on two separate dates in 2012. Lemmon ordered that Jasmin be placed on 4 years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. During that time, Jasmin will be under federal supervision and will risk an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of supervised release.

Brothers Tonta and Kavis Oc        tave, both residents of Vacherie, were sentenced last week by U.S. Dis     trict Court Judge Lance M. Africk.

The siblings were found guilty by a feder al jury in four counts of a five-count November 2012 in  dictment for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine base.

On three separate occasions in March and May of 2012, the Octaves sold between one and two ounces of cocaine base to a Drug Enforcement Administration cooperating informant. These drugs sales were captured on audio-video recordings. In addition, Tonta Octave was found attempting to flee his residence in a vehicle at the time of his arrest. Tonta Octave was found with $25,747 in cash that had been kept in a freezer. The money was forfeited to the government as drug proceeds at the conclusion of the trial.

Tonta Octave was sentenced to 120 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, followed by a term of 8 years supervised re  lease. Tonta Octave will also be required to pay a special assessment fee of $200.

His brother, Kavis Octave, was sentenced to 90 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons and a term of 4 years of supervised release. Kavis Octave was also ordered to pay a $400 special assessment fee.