Two Slidell Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Violations
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 11, 2012 |
NEW ORLEANS—Robbie Ray, age 36 and Courtney Ray, age 33, both from Slidell, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to federal drug charges before United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle today, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.
Robbie Ray pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base (crack). Robbie Ray also pleaded guilty to two distribution charges along with two counts of unlawful use of a communications facility (use of a phone to facilitate the drug conspiracy). Courtney Ray pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack). According to court documents, before February 2010 until approximately September 2010, the two men conspired with others in the Slidell area to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute varying amounts of cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base (crack).
For the conspiracy violation and one of the drug distribution charges, Robbie Ray faces a maximum term of life imprisonment, a maximum fine of $4,000,000, and five years of supervised release. The second drug distribution count has a statutory maximum penalty of 40 years, a maximum fine of $5,000,000, and a supervised release term of four years. The statutory penalties provided for the communications violations are a maximum term of imprisonment of eight years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release per count.
Courtney Ray faces a maximum penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $5,000,000, and the supervised release term of four years.
Sentencing will take place on August 22, 2012 before Judge Lemelle. This investigation was initiated based upon a request for assistance by St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain. Deputies with the Narcotics Unit of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office assisted special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with this matter over the course of several months. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Rivera and Sean Toomey.