New Orleans Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Heroin Distribution

NEW ORLEANS—KEVIN LEWIS, age 36, of New Orleans, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to 30 years (360 months) in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and the distribution of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to serve eight years’ supervised release following his imprisonment, during which time, the defendant will be under federal supervision and risk additional imprisonment should he violate any terms of the release.

According to court documents, LEWIS was convicted by a federal jury after a two day trial on June 1, 2010. The jury heard testimony that LEWIS delivered 4.5 ounces of heroin to a drug trafficker named James Anderson who then gave the narcotics to a confidential informant (CI) who was working with special agents assigned to the FBI’s local Gang Task Force. The evidence revealed that the CI negotiated the purchase of 4.5 ounces of heroin from Anderson for $11,000.00. After the CI paid the money, Anderson called the LEWIS who later arrived and supplied the heroin to Anderson, who then gave it to the informant. Anderson previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 78 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Greenfield and Chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit Mark A. Miller.