Date: Nov. 22, 2024 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. has announced that an investigation into a drug trafficking organization based out of Ascension Parish has resulted in a federal grand jury indictment leading to the arrest of six individuals on various charges, including firearm and drug trafficking offenses. According to the Indictment, the defendants engaged in an extensive drug trafficking venture where they distributed cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and heroin in the Middle District of Louisiana. During the investigation, agents seized over 443 grams of substances containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and 68.1 grams of cocaine, along with several firearms: a Springfield Armory pistol, model Saint, 5.56 Nato caliber; a Taurus, model Judge, .45 caliber and 410 gauge revolver; a Kimber pistol, model Stainless Ultra Carry II, .45 ACP caliber; and a Davis Industry Derringer, model DM-22, .22 Mag caliber pistol. Charged and arrested as part of this initiative were the following individuals: Leroy Miles of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Joseph Brown of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. James Miles of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Corey Powe of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Marishell Ealem of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Destiny Renee McBride of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and task force officers from the Baton Rouge Police Department, Iberville Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Homeland Security. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson. The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea. IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a more than a 90 percent federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 12 attaché posts abroad.
