U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans has announced the sentencing of Brandon D. Hill, a 32-year-old resident of Boutte, Louisiana, to ten years in prison. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe on December 5, 2024, following Hill's guilty plea to charges of possession of a firearm as a felon and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base.
Court records indicate that on March 8, 2023, deputies from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office approached Hill in Boutte regarding an outstanding arrest warrant for a probation violation. Hill attempted to flee but was detained and searched by the deputies. During his arrest, he tried to discard two plastic bags from his pocket while officers also seized a handgun from his waistband—a Canik semi-automatic pistol with a round in the chamber.
Further investigation revealed that Hill possessed a digital scale with residue and four clear plastic bags containing various substances: approximately 3.78 grams of fentanyl, 17.44 grams of marijuana, 1.15 grams of packaged cocaine hydrochloride, and 6.25 grams of cocaine base.
In addition to the prison term for the firearm and narcotics charges, Judge Ashe imposed three years of supervised release on Hill to be served concurrently with his sentence and ordered him to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
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 they serve. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the efforts of several law enforcement bodies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) New Orleans Field Division; St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office; Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the District Attorney’s Office for the 29th Judicial District for their roles in this prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne from the Financial Crimes Unit.