New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun and Drug Charges

NEW ORLEANS, LA - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that DANIEL SMITH ("SMITH"), age 55, of New Orleans, pled guilty on September 26, 2024 to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possession with Intent to Distribute, a quantity of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 846, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.

United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025. At sentencing, as to the conspiracy charge, SMITH faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three (3) years of supervised release. As to the firearm charge, he faces a minimum of five (5) years and up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to five (5) years of supervised release. Finally, as to the charge of maintaining a drug-involved premises, he faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and up to four (4) years of supervised release. Each of the three charges also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

According to court documents, SMITH conspired with others to maintain multiple residences on Harmony Street as drug-involved stash houses where fentanyl and heroin were trafficked. SMITH assisted others in the distribution of fentanyl and heroin from these residences and was arrested while attempting to flee a residence. Firearms and fentanyl were later discovered within this residence.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was part of Operation Big Easy. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.