Derrick Washington, 53, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on October 9th to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
This guilty plea follows a large-scale investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that uncovered a significant drug trafficking operation in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Washington and his co-conspirators were involved in distributing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine. During the investigation, law enforcement seized over 40 kilograms of cocaine, 12 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, and more than $1.2 million in US currency and other assets.
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Washington faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. He could also be fined up to $5 million and will be subject to at least four years of supervised release following any prison term.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to target high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations.
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The DEA’s New Orleans Field Division Office led the investigation, with assistance from various agencies including the FBI, US Border Patrol, and local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman.
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