New Orleans, Louisiana - A 22-year-old New Orleans man pleaded guilty to federal firearm charges related to drug trafficking activities, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson on September 16, 2025.
Tyree Rudolph entered a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). The charge carries serious penalties under federal law.
U.S. District Judge Daryl J. Papillon scheduled Rudolph's sentencing for December 16, 2025. The conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Additional consequences include up to five years of supervised release, fines up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The investigation began in October 2023 when the New Orleans Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation focused on Rudolph due to his connections with the "M3RE" criminal organization. This group operates from the Magnolia Housing Projects in New Orleans, according to court documents.
Investigators discovered Rudolph had posted a social media advertisement selling a Draco assault rifle for $800, referring to the weapon as a "drac" in his online listing.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Rudolph's residence on October 19, 2023. The search yielded significant evidence including substantial quantities of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and other illegal items.
Officers recovered two plastic bags containing fentanyl totaling 75.57 grams, along with $724 in cash and 34 counterfeit $100 bills. The firearms seized included a Glock Model 23 Gen4 .40 caliber handgun with 16 live rounds, a Glock Model 19 Gen5 nine-millimeter handgun with 25 live rounds, and a Romarm/Cugir Draco 7.62x39 caliber pistol with 29 live rounds.
Additional items recovered included a Glock switch machine gun conversion device, various ammunition rounds, and assorted gun parts and accessories. A machinegun conversion device, commonly called a "Glock switch," illegally converts semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive program that unites law enforcement agencies at all levels with community organizations to combat violent crime and gun violence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Orleans Police Department conducted the joint investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit/Strike Force Unit is prosecuting the case.