James Wallace, a 25-year-old resident of Jefferson Parish, has been sentenced to 88 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. Following his prison term, Wallace will undergo five years of supervised release and pay a $600 mandatory special assessment fee. He previously pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Court documents reveal that on June 22, 2021, detectives from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office observed Wallace carrying a Glock Model 17 handgun equipped with a micro conversion kit. This occurred during surveillance operations in Metairie, an area known for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Wallace was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior state drug trafficking offense.
On October 13, 2021, Wallace led Louisiana State Police on a car chase and discarded blister packs of tapentadol while evading capture. By January 2022, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents again observed him engaged in illegal activities in Metairie. On January 4th and January 6th of that year, he was seen carrying handguns and conducting hand-to-hand drug transactions. The orange backpack he carried contained fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, and tapentadol.
Despite arrests within his network of co-conspirators, Wallace continued his illicit activities until January 25th when he sold cocaine base to an ATF informant.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman handled the prosecution.