Baton Rouge Area Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUAN LEWIS, age 27, a resident of Gonzales, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 8, 2023 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five hundred grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court documents, in January 2020, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics agent received information from a confidential source that Eric Rodriguez was routinely driving from Jefferson Parish to the Prairieville/Gonzales, Louisiana area to purchase methamphetamine.  On January 20, 2020, agents learned that Rodriguez traveled to Gonzales where he remained for approximately fifteen minutes before returning to the Jefferson Parish area.  Agents conducted an investigatory stop of Rodriguez in Westwego, Louisiana and recovered approximately 444 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Agents determined that Rodriguez obtained the methamphetamine from LEWIS.  A search of Rodriguez’s telephone revealed several text messages between Rodriguez and LEWIS in which they negotiated several drug transactions with each other.

To further their investigation, on August 11, 2020,  Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents used a confidential source to purchase methamphetamine from LEWIS.  Under the direction of the agents, the confidential source contacted LEWIS and they agreed to meet at a convenience store in Gonzales where LEWIS sold the confidential source one pound of methamphetamine with 97% purity. 

For the conspiracy count, LEWIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least five years. For the possession with intent to distribute counts, LEWIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least four years.  At sentencing, LEWIS must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.