Louisiana - A 52-year-old California man, Al Vernon Brown, was sentenced in a federal court in Louisiana to 60 months in prison on September 18, 2024, for his involvement in a heroin distribution conspiracy that spanned from California to Louisiana. Brown, a resident of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as distribution and possession with intent to distribute the same amount.

According to court documents, Brown mailed large quantities of heroin from California to his co-conspirators in New Orleans, including Christopher Johnson and Kevin Johnson. On June 22, 2021, law enforcement agents seized a package containing 485 grams of heroin that was mailed by Brown to Metairie, Louisiana, and was intended for Kevin Johnson.

Brown's sentence, which was handed down by U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, also includes four years of supervised release and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) New Orleans Gang Task Force, with assistance from the New Orleans Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution.