Man Receives Life in Prison for His Role in Multi-Kilogram Cocaine and Heroin Conspiracy

NEW ORLEANS, LA—RODNEY BOLTON, age 46, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced in federal court today by U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Englehardt to life in prison for his role in a multiple kilogram heroin and cocaine conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. The life sentence was statutorily mandated because the government charged and proved BOLTON had two prior felony drug convictions. In addition, Judge Engelhardt sentenced BOLTON to four years (48 months) to run consecutive for the three counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, as well as 10 years of supervised release, during which time he will be under federal supervision and risks additional imprisonment should he violate any terms of the release.

According to court documents, BOLTON and his co-defendant, Todd Daggs, were convicted by a jury in August, 2010 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride and one kilogram or more of heroin. The jury also found BOLTON guilty of multiple counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. At trial, the government presented evidence of the defendant’s telephone calls from FBI wiretaps of their co-conspirators’ cellular telephones in 2007. The evidence at trial also showed that BOLTON and Daggs were being supplied with heroin and cocaine transported to New Orleans from an associate living in Houston. When their Houston associate was arrested in September 2007, Daggs was then provided the contact information for another supplier, an illegal alien from Columbia who also resided in Houston, from whom the defendants received up to five kilograms of heroin until the supplier was identified and arrested on July 4, 2008.

On December 1, 2010, Daggs was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 30 consecutive years of imprisonment as a result of his conviction for multiple firearms violations.

This case was investigated by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, DEA-HIDTA, and the Memphis, Tennessee Police Department.