New Orleans Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Drugs and Weapons Violations

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KELLY P. HARRELL, age 45, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by U. S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle to 12 years imprisonment for illegally possessing a firearm, possessing both crack cocaine and heroin with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. Judge Lemelle also imposed five (5) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.

On December 1, 2011, HARRELL pleaded guilty admitting that NOPD officers observed him exit a blue Chrysler sedan parked on Clio Street and urinate on the ground next to his vehicle. NOPD officers then conducted an investigatory stop and asked HARRELL to produce proper identification. HARRELL initially complied with the officers’ request but then attempted to flee the scene on foot. When officers looked into HARRELL’s car, they observed in plain view a black Glock model 27 lying on the front passenger seat. Immediately next to the loaded pistol was a black “key holder box” which was partially opened. The black key holder box contained thirteen foils of heroin and seven pieces of crack cocaine each individually wrapped in plastic. Both the heroin and the crack cocaine were packaged in a manner consistent with illegal street level narcotics distribution. Shortly thereafter, officers also learned that HARRELL was a convicted felon and, as such, is legally precluded from possessing or owning any firearms.

This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department along with Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the Violent Crime Unit.