New Orleans, Louisiana - A 25-year-old New Orleans, Louisiana man, Kentrell Hubbard, has been sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on August 22, 2024. Hubbard was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.

According to court documents, Hubbard distributed fentanyl to a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) on June 9, 2023. The transaction took place near a supermarket in the Iberville housing project, a known hotspot for drug trafficking. The following week, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) saw Hubbard in possession of a handgun while executing an unrelated search warrant.

Hubbard's case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. The program focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that prevent violence, setting enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

The investigation was led by the ATF, with Assistant U.S. Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit handling the prosecution.