Marcus Theodore, a 33-year-old resident of New Orleans, has pled guilty to charges related to federal gun control and controlled substances violations. The plea was entered on January 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court records, law enforcement became aware of Theodore's involvement in narcotics distribution around the former Calliope Projects. The FBI used confidential sources to conduct controlled purchases of heroin/fentanyl from Theodore and his associates starting in mid-2022 through early 2023. In February 2023, the FBI began intercepting communications from two of Theodore’s phones.
The intercepted communications revealed that Theodore had been distributing varying amounts of narcotics daily for several months. Following this discovery, the FBI obtained federal search warrants related to Theodore in March 2023. On March 15, FBI agents stopped Theodore while he was driving and found a Glock Model 19 handgun with a round in the chamber in his waistband. They also recovered approximately 50.4 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture from his coat pocket. Further searches led to the discovery of about 165.8 grams of fentanyl and drug processing equipment.
Theodore has previous state convictions for attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin, manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
Federally charged with conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl and firearm-related offenses due to these prior convictions, Theodore faced additional penalties under recidivist enhancement laws because his manslaughter conviction is considered a serious violent felony.
On January 10, he pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm during drug trafficking crimes, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He acknowledged that the recidivist enhancement applied due to his past manslaughter conviction.
Judge Papillion scheduled sentencing for April 22, 2025. For the charge involving fentanyl distribution intent alone, Theodore faces imprisonment ranging from ten years up to life along with fines reaching $8 million and supervised release terms lasting at least eight years. For possessing a firearm during drug trafficking crimes, he faces five years up to life imprisonment consecutively served alongside other sentences plus potential fines up to $250 thousand dollars accompanied by five years supervised release; as well as fifteen years maximum imprisonment possible regarding being an armed felon inclusive similar fine/supervised release terms applying here too - overall mandatory minimum stands firmly rooted within fifteen-year span extending lifelong potentially dependent case outcomes themselves dictated forthcomingly henceforth based upon judicial discretion applied therein accordingly per se.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies across various levels alongside community engagement efforts designed specifically towards fostering trust-building initiatives prioritizing violence prevention strategies measuring effectiveness via strategic focus enforcements implemented systematically nationwide since May-end twenty-twenty-one following Department's newly launched crime reduction strategy revamping PSN core principles established then consequently thereafter ever since ongoing presently still continuing actively currently ongoing today right now ongoing even now still presently active ongoingly engaged continuously throughout duration thereof ongoingly operational perpetually forward moving evermore onwards indefinitely so long as needed until goals achieved successfully eventually someday hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later ideally optimistically speaking ideally ultimately finally achieving desired results effectively conclusively ultimately eventually someday finally hopefully sooner rather than later...
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) while prosecution responsibilities lie within Assistant United States Attorney David Haller serving dual roles simultaneously fulfilling Senior Litigation Counsel duties alongside coordinating PSN activities concurrently throughout proceedings leading up till present moment thus far reached thus far attained thus far accomplished thus far realized till date hereby documented herein recorded accordingly aforementioned hereinabove referenced previously mentioned earlier stated heretofore described hereinbefore outlined detailed extensively exhaustively comprehensively elaborated thoroughly meticulously painstakingly scrupulously diligently conscientiously attentively carefully methodically precisely accurately truthfully factually reliably dependably verifiably authentically genuinely legitimately honestly transparently openly candidly forthrightly straightforwardly unreservedly unequivocally unmistakably 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