United States District Judge Lee P has sentenced eight defendants. Rudofsky to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Each of the defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On August 1, 2023, Jaylen Ester, aka Sumo; Adrian Perry; Miguel Thompson; James Chenault, aka LJ; Saundra Lunsford; Carma Brown; April Reyes; and Briana McElroy were indicted by a federal grand jury in a 13-count indictment. All defendants were indicted on Count 1, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The defendants each pleaded guilty to count 1 of the indictment, and Judge Rudofsky sentenced each of them to federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Multiple defendants had significant criminal histories, and defendants Perry, Thompson, and Chenault are classified as career offenders. Perry’s criminal history includes convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver.
The criminal history for Ester includes convictions for residential burglary and robbery. During Ester’s sentencing, the United States presented evidence to the court of his arrest for a terroristic act, felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault in an incident where Ester shot at an occupied residence with children present.
Thompson’s criminal history includes four convictions for delivery of marijuana, three convictions for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, intimidating a witness, delivery of methamphetamine, three convictions for possession with intent to deliver oxycodone, and a terroristic act.
Chenault’s criminal history includes three convictions for delivery of marijuana, battery and domestic battery, escape, possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to deliver, and four convictions for delivery of cocaine or methamphetamine, aggravated assault, and possession of firearms by certain persons.
Through an investigation, law enforcement officers learned that from 2020 through approximately December 2022, the defendants were distributing fentanyl for redistribution in the River Valley and central Arkansas areas.
In November 2021, information was received that Ester travelled to and from Little Rock and Russellville, trafficking fentanyl from his girlfriend’s apartment. During surveillance of the girlfriend’s apartment, law enforcement officers observed the girlfriend leave in their vehicle.
At this time, law enforcement officers knocked on the door, and Ester opened it, then attempted to shut it, but the law enforcement officers prevented the door from closing. Law enforcement officers observed children and Ester, a parolee who has a search waiver on file and felony warrants, inside the apartment.
During a search of the apartment, law enforcement officers located fentanyl, marijuana, and close to $3,000 in cash. Law enforcement also recovered a bag of fentanyl tablets that Ester’s girlfriend had discarded, which Ester admitted was intended for distribution.
Ester admitted to obtaining thousands of fentanyl tablets and hundreds of pounds of marijuana for distribution.
On December 22, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in which Perry, who had warrants, was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a can of Coke in the centre console that contained 13 fentanyl pills. During a search of Perry’s person, law enforcement officers located $3,262.00.
In May 2022, law enforcement recovered fentanyl tablets and marijuana during an incident involving Chenault, and during the execution of a search warrant at Chenault and Lunsford’s residence, located 142 whole fentanyl pills and ten partial fentanyl pills, over 300 grams of marijuana, and over 5 grams of methamphetamine.
In July 2022, law enforcement recovered over 1,000 fentanyl tablets and cocaine from Thompson and McElroy after a traffic stop and search of Thompson’s residence. In August 2022, law enforcement recovered fentanyl tablets, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia from Reyes’s residence.
In November 2022, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Brown. On November 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a home visit at Thompson’s residence and recovered methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl.
“Sending career criminals like this to prison is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from those who spread fentanyl poison in our neighbourhoods,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson.
