Five Laplace Residents Charged With Firearm and Drug Conspiracy Charges

 NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that a federal grand jury returned a nine (9) count Indictment on September 4, 2020 against ELLIS BATISTE, SR. (BATISTE), age 48, TRACY MORGAN (MORGAN), age 50, ELI JUAN MOORE (MOORE), age 25, OCTAVIUS NARCISSE (NARCISSE), age 53, and RICHARD GRAY (GRAY), age 60.  In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, the Indictment remained sealed until today. The Indictment charged the defendants with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.

The Indictment charged the defendants with the following federal offenses:

Count 1:       Violation: Conspiracy to Dist. and PWITD 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine Hydrochloride; Conspiracy to Dist. and PWITD 400 grams or more of Fentanyl, a quantity of heroin, a quantity of cocaine base, a quantity of methamphetamine, 21 U.S.C. § 846; 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(C)

Statutory Penalties: minimum of ten (10) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five (5) years supervised release (fentanyl and cocaine hydrochloride); up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release (heroin, cocaine base, methamphetamine)

Defendants:  BATISTE, MORGAN, MOORE, NARCISSE, and GRAY

Count 2:       Violation:  Distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C)

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release

Defendant: BATISTE

Count 3:       Violation:  Distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C)

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release

Defendant: BATISTE

Count 4:       Violation:  Distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C)

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release

Defendant: BATISTE

Count 5:       Violation:  Distribution of a quantity of heroin, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C)

Statutory Penalties: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, at least three (3) years supervised release

Defendant: MOORE

Count 6:       Violation: Use of Communication Facility, 21 U.S.C. § 843(b), 18 U.S.C. § 2

Statutory Penalties: up to four (4) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 1 year supervise release

Defendants: BATISTE, GRAY

Count 7:       Violation:  Felon in Possession of a firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

Statutory Penalties: up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release

Defendant: MOORE

Count 8:       Violation:  Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl , 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A) and Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of Cocaine Hydrochloride, 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B) and 18 U.S.C. § 2

Statutory Penalties: minimum ten (10) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, at least five (5) years supervised release (fentanyl); minimum five (5) years up to a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least four (4) years supervised release (cocaine hydrochloride)

Defendants: BATISTE, NARCISSE

Count 9:       Violation: Use of Communication Facility, 21 U.S.C. § 843(b), 18 U.S.C. § 2

Statutory Penalties: up to four (4) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 1 year supervised release

Defendants: BATISTE, NARCISSE

The individuals listed above participated in a poly-drug distribution network that operated in and around Laplace, Louisiana.  Thus far, law enforcement officials have confiscated over fourteen (14) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and one (1) kilogram of fentanyl.

United States Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Members of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Saint John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office led the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the matter.