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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that ANDREW PAYTON, age 48, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on Tuesday June 28, 2022 to serve 168 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons after pleading guilty to the charge of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).  PAYTON’s federal term of imprisonment is to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials investigated the 2019 distribution of illegal narcotics into Orleans and St. Tammany Parishes from the Houston, Texas area.  This investigation culminated with the indictment of PAYTON on October 18, 2019.

The case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.), the Louisiana State Police, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.is in charge of the prosecution.