KEY MEMBER OF DISTRIBUTION NETWORK PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGE AS A RESULT OF WIRETAP EVIDENCE

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - BRUCE CARTER, JR., age 31, of Slidell, Louisiana pled guilty in federal court this morning to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five (5) or more kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.

CARTER also pled guilty to committing his crime after a felony conviction for another drug offense became final. On June 27, 2005, CARTER was convicted of possession of Alprazolam in St. Tammany Parish. Because of the prior drug offenses, CARTER faces a maximum term of life imprisonment with a minimum term of twenty (20) years of imprisonment, a maximum fine of $8 million, and a minimum of ten (10) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment.

According to court documents, an investigation led to a court-authorized wire intercepts of communications occurring over the cellular telephones known to be used by CARTER and one of his co-defendants, Gabriel Bolden. Over the course of these wiretaps, investigators overheard the defendants orchestrating and discussing numerous narcotics deals during the months of December 2006, January 2007, and February 2007. Investigators also learned that various individuals involved in the conspiracy had attempted to conduct counter-surveillance of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's narcotics office located within John Slidell Park on Robert Road in Slidell. It was also learned that the main source of cocaine supply was in Houston, Texas.

Based upon the joint investigation between the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a federal complaint was filed against CARTER and three other individuals on February 15, 2007 and arrest warrants were issued by the U. S. Magistrate Judge. A federal complaint later was filed against to other individuals once it was learned that they traveled to Houston in order to purchase a supply of cocaine and marijuana.

Also according to court documents, investigators learned through intercepted conversations that the group made a trip to Houston on February 18, 2007. Several individuals were taken into custody at approximately 3:00 A.M. on February 19, 2007, when they returned to Slidell. During a search subsequent to those arrests, investigators recovered approximately three (3) kilograms of what was suspected to be cocaine hydrochloride and one hundred (100) pounds of what was suspected to be marijuana. Tests conducted by members of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office later confirmed that those substances wer positive for the presence of cocaine and marijuana.

In addition to admitting to all of the above-mentioned criminal activity, CARTER also admitted that on eight (8) separate occasions he sold amounts of powder cocaine and crack cocaine - sometimes more than fifty (50) grams at a time - to individuals, who, unbeknownst to CARTER were undercover police officers. Those distributions occurred between July 25, 2006, and December 5, 2006.

In all, sixteen (16) individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the investigation. CARTER and five other co-defendants were indicted on March 16, 2007. However, in a directly related case, another ten (10) individuals were indicted on July 27, 2007 and charged with participating in the same drug conspiracy. Court records indicate that CARTER is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in connection with this matter.

As mentioned above, the case was investigated by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and the FBI. Members of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office carried out most of the fieldwork for the FBI, and conducted much of the physical surveillance during the time that the two cellular phones were tapped.

Two of the original six co-defendants are set for trial before the Honorable Sarah S. Vance on Monday, January 28, 2007, and the ten defendants in the related case presently are set for trial before the Honorable A.J. McNamara on that same day. Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Christopher Cox of the Violent Crime Unit.

United States Attorney Jim Letten Eastern District of Louisiana FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: KATHY ENGLISH CONTACT: KATHY ENGLISH PHONE: (504) 680-3068 WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAE <http://WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAE> FAX: (504) 589-4978 November 28, 2007

KEY MEMBER OF DISTRIBUTION NETWORK PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGE AS A RESULT OF WIRETAP EVIDENCE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - BRUCE CARTER, JR., age 31, of Slidell, Louisiana pled guilty in federal court this morning to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five (5) or more kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. CARTER also pled guilty to committing his crime after a felony conviction for another drug offense became final. On June 27, 2005, CARTER was convicted of possession of Alprazolam in St. Tammany Parish. Because of the prior drug offenses, CARTER faces a maximum term of life imprisonment with a minimum term of twenty (20) years of imprisonment, a maximum fine of $8 million, and a minimum of ten (10) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. According to court documents, an investigation led to a court-authorized wire intercepts of communications occurring over the cellular telephones known to be used by CARTER and one of his co-defendants, Gabriel Bolden. Over the course of these wiretaps, investigators overheard the defendants orchestrating and discussing numerous narcotics deals during the months of December 2006, January 2007, and February 2007. Investigators also learned that various individuals involved in the conspiracy had attempted to conduct counter-surveillance of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's narcotics office located within John Slidell Park on Robert Road in Slidell. It was also learned that the main source of cocaine supply was in Houston, Texas. Based upon the joint investigation between the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a federal complaint was filed against CARTER and three other individuals on February 15, 2007 and arrest warrants were issued by the U. S. Magistrate Judge. A federal complaint later was filed against to other individuals once it was learned that they traveled to Houston in order to purchase a supply of cocaine and marijuana. Also according to court documents, investigators learned through intercepted conversations that the group made a trip to Houston on February 18, 2007. Several individuals were taken into custody at approximately 3:00 A.M. on February 19, 2007, when they returned to Slidell. During a search subsequent to those arrests, investigators recovered approximately three (3) kilograms of what was suspected to be cocaine hydrochloride and one hundred (100) pounds of what was suspected to be marijuana. Tests conducted by members of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office later confirmed that those substances wer positive for the presence of cocaine and marijuana. In addition to admitting to all of the above-mentioned criminal activity, CARTER also admitted that on eight (8) separate occasions he sold amounts of powder cocaine and crack cocaine - sometimes more than fifty (50) grams at a time - to individuals, who, unbeknownst to CARTER were undercover police officers. Those distributions occurred between July 25, 2006, and December 5, 2006. In all, sixteen (16) individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the investigation. CARTER and five other co-defendants were indicted on March 16, 2007. However, in a directly related case, another ten (10) individuals were indicted on July 27, 2007 and charged with participating in the same drug conspiracy. Court records indicate that CARTER is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in connection with this matter. As mentioned above, the case was investigated by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and the FBI. Members of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office carried out most of the fieldwork for the FBI, and conducted much of the physical surveillance during the time that the two cellular phones were tapped. Two of the original six co-defendants are set for trial before the Honorable Sarah S. Vance on Monday, January 28, 2007, and the ten defendants in the related case presently are set for trial before the Honorable A.J. McNamara on that same day. Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Christopher Cox of the Violent Crime Unit.