Saint Charles Parish area drug traffickers plead guilty to federal charges

Published 1:00 pm Sunday, October 24, 2021

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NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that, on October 19, 2021, Duvell London, Jr., 41, of St. Rose, La., and Jeremy Levanda, age 40, of Destrehan, La., pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. London further pled guilty to 4 counts of distribution of controlled substances, 3 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and 4 counts of use of a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Levanda further pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of use of a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, London, Levanda, and others, distributed significant quantities of fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine in St Charles Parish and surrounding areas during the summer of 2020.

London faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years up to a maximum of 40 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least 4 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and $1,200 in mandatory special assessment fees. Levanda faces up to a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter set sentencing for January 11, 2022.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Nolan Paige and Paige O’Hale.