Louisiana Man Faces Up to 40 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin and Firearms Charges

Louisiana – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Lawrence Robertson (“Robertson”), age 37, pled guilty on June 2, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846; one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).

According to court documents, Robertson had over 40 grams of fentanyl, quantities of heroin, and a Glock Model 27,.40 caliber semiautomatic pistol on September 11, 2018.

Robertson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years to 40 years in prison, at least 4 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee on the drug conspiracy charge. Robertson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years to life in prison, up to 5 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee on the firearm charge.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, which is at the heart of the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime. PSN is an evidence-based program that has been shown to reduce violent crime. PSN brings together a diverse range of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime issues in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and collaborates with community-based prevention and reentry programs to achieve long-term crime reductions.

U.S. Attorney Evans commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department for their work in investigating this case. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Shih.