U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle

A 36-year-old Alexandria man was sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty to making bomb threats following a parking dispute at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in 2025. The incident occurred on November 7, 2025, when Corey Johnson argued with airport personnel over parking fees, leading to a confrontation and subsequent threatening calls to the airport's operations center.

Robert Hines, a 47-year-old man from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026, to violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act. The case was handled before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, as announced by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

Ryan Lajoie, a 28-year-old resident of St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced to 142 months in prison and $200 in fees for pleading guilty to methamphetamine distribution and possession charges. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on May 21, 2026.

Wellington Brown, a 53-year-old New Orleans businessman, pleaded guilty to providing a false statement to a federal agency related to a pandemic relief fraud case. Sentencing is scheduled for August 27, 2026, following the guilty plea on May 21, 2026.

Darvale Williams, a 20-year-old New Orleans resident, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a stolen firearm in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act. The sentencing occurred on May 20, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, with additional penalties including three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee.

David Morel, a 42-year-old previously convicted sex offender from New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2026, to possession of child sexual abuse materials. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum of 20 years imprisonment, along with supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee.