Louisiana Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Crack
New Orleans, Louisiana – A man from Louisiana has been sentenced after pleading guilty to possession and distribution of crack.
On April 26, 2023, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Oliver Pierre, age 40, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
According to court records, the Drug Enforcement Administration learned of James Bickham’s drug trafficking activities in October 2015, when he utilized Pierre as a drug courier to transfer drugs from Houston, Texas to Slidell, Louisiana. Agents intercepted phone conversations between Bickham and a customer regarding the delivery of 7.5 ounces of crack from Bickham to the customer in Slidell, Louisiana, using a court-approved telephone wiretap from October 6 to October 8, 2015. Bickham informed the customer during the chats that Pierre would send the drugs to him on October 8.
Agents established surveillance outside the customer’s Slidell residence on October 8, 2015, after becoming aware of the scheduled drug transaction. Authorities also intercepted phone calls between Bickham, the customer, and Pierre regarding the crack delivery. At 3:40 p.m., the client exited an apartment and drove to the Quick E-Z, 35220 Highway 433 in Slidell, where he parked next to Pierre’s silver SUV. Pierre, who was delivering Bickham’s narcotics, put the drugs into the customer’s vehicle. While Pierre was loading the drugs into the customer’s vehicle, Bickham, who was on the phone with the customer, informed him that Pierre had given him two bags containing 7.5 ounces of crack. The customer and Pierre left the area in separate vehicles after Pierre threw the narcotics into the customer’s vehicle. Authorities attempted to apprehend the customer, but he drove away and threw the drugs out the window. Authorities eventually apprehended and arrested the customer, as well as the two bags of drugs he flung from his vehicle. Agents recovered 158 grams of crack from Pierre’s delivery to the consumer.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The prosecution was conducted by Narcotics Unit Assistant US Attorney André Jones.