Roderick Parker, a 54-year-old resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, has been sentenced to nine months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He is also required to pay a $100 special assessment fee. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Parker had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. These charges are violations under Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating Parker along with other co-conspirators in October 2019 for their roles as narcotics distributors in the New Orleans area. The investigation found that Parker was regularly supplied with between 25 and 50 pills containing heroin and fentanyl, which he then distributed to his customers.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at identifying, disrupting, and dismantling high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations that pose threats within the United States. OCDETF employs a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies at federal, state, and local levels.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration alongside the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne from the Narcotics Unit managed the prosecution.