Calcasieu Parish Drug Traffickers Convicted in Federal Court
Jury Returned Verdict After Approximately One Hour of Deliberation and Both Defendants May be Sentenced to 10 Years up to Life in Prison

LAKE CHARLES, LA—United States Attorney Donald W. Washington announced that HOWARD RONALD GUILLORY, SR., age 54, of Lake Charles, LA and JAMES MARCUS LEBLANC, age 53, of Lake Charles, LA, were convicted by a federal jury late yesterday afternoon for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and distribution of cocaine base (“crack”). The trial commenced on Monday, August 31, 2009, and the jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning their verdict. GUILLORY and LEBLANC were the remaining defendants in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed “Operation Broken Bridge.”

GUILLORY and LEBLANC were indicted in September 2006, along with four other individuals, and also in a Superceding Indictment in February 2009, on federal drug charges involving conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and distribution of cocaine base (“crack”).

This case was the result of an investigation into the growing gang problems in the Lake Charles area. Evidence at trial showed that HOWARD GUILLORY, JR., a/k/a “Nosey,” who died as the result of a motorcycle accident in 2003, was a major figure in the Lake Charles narcotics organization, and along with his associates, had been distributing cocaine base (“crack”) since he was 18 years of age. The defendants in this portion of the prosecution, HOWARD RONALD GUILLORY, SR. and JAMES MARCUS LEBLANC, were his father and second cousin, who aided and abetted in drug sales he organized. LEBLANC testified at trial that he had been compelled by HOWARD GUILLORY, JR. to participate in the charged drug distributions.

OCDETF, consisting of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

The facts surrounding the remaining four defendants are as follows:

• RON CHRISTOPHER GREEN, age 36, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty in August 2008 to Count 1 of the Indictment for conspiracy to possess and distribute over 50 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), and was sentenced in January 2009, to 14 years’ imprisonment and a term of five years supervised release following confinement;
• JONATHAN JERMAINE GUILLORY, a/k/a “J-Rock,” age 29, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, pled guilty in October 2008, to Count 5 of the Indictment for distribution of cocaine base (“crack”), and was sentenced in January 2009, to over 15 years’ imprisonment and a term of three years supervised release following confinement;
• RAY ALLEN MALBROUGH, a/k/a “Ray Blue,” age 28, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, pled guilty in October 2008, to a one-count Bill of Information for interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises, and was sentenced in April 2009, to five years imprisonment and a term of three years supervised release following confinement; and
• YATOYA MICHELLE TOLBERT, a/k/a “Boonie,” age 32, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, pled guilty in September 2008, to a one-count Bill of Information for interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises, and was sentenced in November 2008, to five years imprisonment and a term of three years supervised release following confinement.

Sentencing for HOWARD RONALD GUILLORY, SR. and JAMES MARCUS LEBLANC has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, GUILLORY and LEBLANC face 10 years up to life imprisonment and five years supervised release after confinement.

Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statutes. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Lake Charles Police Department and the Combined Anti-Drug Team of Calcasieu Parish (CAT). CAT was formed in November 2004, as a joint effort between the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lakes Charles Police Department, Sulphur Police Department, Westlake Police Department, DeQuincy Police Department, Vinton Police Department, Iowa Police Department, the United States Marshal’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The purpose of CAT is to combine all agencies within the Calcasieu Parish area to form a single unit to identify, target, and dismantle illegal drug and gang organizations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brett L. Grayson.