U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced today’s unsealing of a 26-count Superseding Indictment charging JONATHAN LAWRENCE, a/k/a “Chop,” a/k/a “Mego,” age 29; DONALD MARCELIN, a/k/a “Snook,” a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Golfer,” age 39; BRANDON HALL, a/k/a “B-Hilly,” age 27; BRIAN MAXSON, a/k/a “Chin,” age 33; ALOYSIUS KORIEOCHA, a/k/a “Madi,” a/k/a “Ball,” age 34; DWAYNE LABRANCH, a/k/a “Mondo,” a/k/a “Black,” age 34; LANCE STOVALL, a/k/a “Lele,” a/k/a “Allen,” age 27; and VONZO MAGEE, a/k/a “Zo,” a/k/a “Dark Low,” age 29; all of New Orleans, with numerous violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act. All of the defendants are charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, along with other substantive offenses.
The following chart summarizes the charges alleged in the Superseding Indictment, along with the penalties that each defendant faces if convicted of the alleged offense.
Count | Charge | Defendants | Penalties |
1 | Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846 | All | LAWRENCE, HALL, MARCELIN, KORIEOCHA: 10 years to life imprisonment, at least 5 years supervised release, $10,000,000 fine
MAXSON, LABRANCH, STOVALL, MAGEE: 5 to 40 years, at least 4 years supervised release, $5,000,000 fine |
2 | Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Offense – Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(o) | LAWRENCE, HALL, LABRANCH, MAGEE, MAXSON | 0 to 20 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, fine of up to $250,000 |
3 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | KORIEOCHA | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
4 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LAWRENCE | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
5 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LAWRENCE, MARCELIN | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
6 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LAWRENCE | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
7 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LAWRENCE | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
8 | Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking (Discharge) – Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii); 18 U.S.C. § 2 | LAWRENCE, HALL, LABRANCH | 10 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
9 | Discharge of a Firearm in a School Zone – Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(q)(3)(A); 18 U.S.C. § 2 | LAWRENCE, HALL, LABRANCH | 0 to 5 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
10 | Distribution of Heroin and Acetyl Fentanyl, Resulting in Death – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | HALL | Mandatory life sentence (given HALL’s prior felony drug conviction), $1,000,000 fine |
11 | Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | HALL | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
12 | Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | HALL | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
13 | Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | MAXSON | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
14 | Distribution of Heroin, Resulting in Death – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LAWRENCE | Mandatory life sentence (given LAWRENCE’s prior felony drug conviction), $1,000,000 fine |
15 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | STOVALL | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
16 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LABRANCH | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
17 | Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | STOVALL | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
18 | Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking (Discharge) – Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii); 18 U.S.C. § 2 | LAWRENCE, HALL | 10 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
19 | Possessing a Firearm, Convicted Felon – Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) | LAWRENCE | 0 to 10 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
20 | Possessing a Firearm, Convicted Felon – Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) | HALL | 0 to 10 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
21 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | MAXSON | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
22 | Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | MAXSON | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
23 | Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking– Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) | MAXSON | 5 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
24 | Distribution of Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) | LABRANCH | 0 to 20 years, at least 3 years supervised release, $1,000,000 fine |
25 | Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking– Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) | MAGEE | 5 years to life imprisonment, not more than 5 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
26 | Possessing a Firearm, Convicted Felon – Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) | MAGEE | 0 to 10 years, not more than 3 years supervised release, $250,000 fine |
U.S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Superseding Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGFT), which led this investigation and was assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.