Multiple Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Louisiana Come in as Result of Ongoing Jungle Life Mafia Street Gang Prosecution

New Orleans, Louisiana - Multiple guilty pleas and sentencings in Louisiana have come in as a result of an ongoing Jungle Life Mafia Street Gang prosecution.

On Monday, March 13, 2023, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Michael Alexander, Sr., a/k/a “Monsta,” a/k/a “Jamond,” age 40, Atrell Anderson, a/k/a “Trey,” a/k/a “Trel,” a/k/a “Da Boi,” age 31, Terrell Haynes, a/k/a “Redman,” age 44, Michael Alexander, Jr., a/k/a “Mike Mike,” age 22, Brandon Baker, age 37, Louis Bells, Jr., age 22, Jerald Alexander, age 37, Star Robichaux, age 43, and Joshua Prine, age 42, residents of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, have now all pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey.

Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") investigators began investigating the drug trafficking activities of the Jungle Life Mafia street gang in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, according to court filings, in 2019. The two-year inquiry resulted in the confiscation of drugs, drug money, and firearms. DEA investigators confiscated $590,602 in US currency and ten illegal firearms in total.

Alexander, Sr. pled guilty on March 9, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of firearms while a felon.

Alexander, Sr. faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any term of incarceration for conspiracy. He faces a statutory required minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release following any period of incarceration for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Alexander, Sr. faces a required minimum term of 5 years in prison, up to life in prison, to run consecutively with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release for possessing firearms in furtherance of a narcotics trafficking crime.  Alexander, Sr. faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release if convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms. Alexander, Sr. must also pay a $100 obligatory special assessment fee for each of the four (4) offenses brought against him. Alexander, Sr's sentencing date is set for June 13, 2023.

Anderson pled guilty on October 6, 2022, to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He also pled guilty to methamphetamine distribution and using a communication facility in furtherance of a narcotics trafficking offense. Anderson was sentenced to 188 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $600 obligatory special assessment charge on March 9, 2023.

Haynes pled guilty on September 19, 2022, to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He also pled guilty to methamphetamine distribution and having a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release following any period of incarceration for conspiracy. Haynes faces a statutory mandatory minimum punishment of 5 years in prison, up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release following any period of incarceration for distribution. Haynes faces up to ten years in jail, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Haynes must additionally pay a $100 obligatory special assessment fee for each of the three (3) offenses brought against him. Haynes' sentencing date is set for April 18, 2023.

Alexander, Jr. pled guilty on October 19, 2022, to conspiring to distribute quantities of heroin and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and using a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking. Alexander, Jr. was sentenced to 7 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $500 obligatory special assessment charge on February 14, 2023.

Jerald Alexander pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm on January 18, 2023. He faces up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 2 years of supervised release for the marijuana convictions. Alexander faces a required minimum term of 5 years up to life in prison, to run consecutively with any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Alexander must additionally pay a $100 obligatory special assessment fee for each of the four (4) offenses brought against him. Alexander's sentencing date is set for April 18, 2023.

Bells pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 2, 2022. Bells was sentenced to 71 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 obligatory special assessment charge on October 25, 2022.

Baker pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine on October 4, 2022. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 obligatory special assessment charge on February 28, 2023.

Robichaux pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 kilogram or more of heroin on September 14, 2022. Prine pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 kilogram or more of heroin on October 18, 2022. Robichaux and Prine face a statutory obligatory minimum penalty of ten years in jail, up to life in prison, a fine of up to ten million dollars, and at least five years of supervised release following any period of incarceration. Robichaux is due to be sentenced on April 25, 2023, while Prine is slated to be sentenced on June 13, 2023.

This prosecution is part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that pose a threat to the United States.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve together to minimize violent crime and gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy to strengthen PSN on May 26, 2021, based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Hammond Police Department, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office, St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, and the United States Marshals Service all worked together to investigate this case. Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.