New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

Published 7:00 am Sunday, June 19, 2022

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JARRIN GAYDEN, age 34,  a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 16, 2022 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one-count superseding bill of information that charged him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one-hundred grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court documents, in November 2017, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) began to investigate the heroin overdose death of an individual in Metairie, Louisiana.  FBI agents identified the deceased individual’s heroin supplier and arrested him after making a controlled purchase of heroin from him.  After the supplier was arrested, GAYDEN assumed control of the supplier’s phone and began to sell heroin to customers who called to purchase heroin from the supplier.  After learning of GAYDEN’s drug activity using the supplier’s phone, agents made two controlled purchases of heroin from GAYDEN totaling two grams.

As a result of his plea, GAYDEN faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of imprisonment of forty years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.