Local Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Attempting To Introduce Controlled Substances into the Orleans Justice Center

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that BRITTANY THEOPHILE, age 30, of New Orleans, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, to 21 months imprisonment for her role in attempting to introduce controlled substances into the Orleans Justice Center.  Upon release from imprisonment, she will serve a one year term of supervised release.

According to court documents, THEOPHILE pleaded guilty to one count of violating Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b), using a telephone in the commission of a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.  Her co-defendant and friend, ELTON WILLIAMS, was an inmate at the Orleans Justice Center.  WILLIAMS solicited the assistance of THEOPHILE and CIBONEY PARKER (a civilian employee of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office), and another friend, RACHELLE KELSON, to smuggle drugs into the jail.  THEOPHILE and KELSON provided the drugs, including marijuana, heroin, and Tramadol, to PARKER during her work shift.  The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Intelligence Division became aware of the plan through audio and visual surveillance and detained PARKER before she could gain access to WILLIAMS.   WILLIAMS, PARKER, and KELSON will be sentenced in early-2019.

U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser praised the work of the FBI and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Investigative Service Bureau.  Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Knight is in charge of this prosecution.