Trafficking More than 2200 Pounds of Marijuana in Louisiana Gets California Man 10 Year Prison Sentence 

Louisiana – Stephen Luong, age 62, a resident of Oakland, California, was sentenced on May 25, 2022 by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to one-hundred twenty months (10 years) imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and $200.00 in mandatory special assessment fees after pleading guilty to two counts of a twenty-four count superseding indictment that charged him with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute One Thousand Kilograms or More of Marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and Possession with Intent to Distribute One Hundred Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 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 July 2019, a Narcotics Division Agent with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office received information about a large-scale marijuana distribution ring in the metro area. Agents discovered that on July 26, 2019, Luong rented a storage facility in Metairie, Louisiana, which he used to store marijuana and proceeds from marijuana sales. Agents conducting surveillance at the facility in September 2019 observed Luong depositing a bag in one of the storage units.

Following Luong’s exit from the facility, a traffic stop resulted in the seizure of $395,101.00 in cash. Luong admitted in a post-arrest statement that he flew to various states to transport money. As the investigation progressed, agents discovered that between June and August 2019, Luong routinely shipped hundreds of pounds of marijuana from Oakland, California to the Eastern District of Louisiana, then traveled to New Orleans to collect the proceeds of the sold marijuana and return to Oakland.

This prosecution was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s extensive investigation (OCDETF). The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

The Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Former Assistant United States Attorney Mobayonle Osundare and Assistant United States Attorney André Jones handled the prosecution.