Orleans Parish Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Drug and Weapons Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 30, 2009 |
MORRIS SMITH a/k/a “Ice”, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court yesterday before U. S. District Judge Gelen G. Berrigan to a four count indictment involving the sale of crack cocaine and firearms, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the factual basis, SMITH was arrested on February 19, 2009, for selling 4.73 grams of crack cocaine on September 23, 2008, to an undercover agent at a bogus storefront in the Hollygrove area of New Orleans. The crack cocaine was contained in 17 individually wrapped small rocks in a plastic baggie. SMITH, a previously convicted felon, also sold a 9mm black Lugar and a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol to undercover agents at the bogus storefront in September, 2008.
The defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a $1 million fine, forfeiture of the drugs and firearms and at least three (3) years of federal supervision after the completion of his prison sentence. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 5, 2009.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the Violent Crime Unit.