MAN CONVICTED ON 8 COUNTS OF FEDERAL GUN AND DRUG VIOLATIONS

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -CALVIN EFFRON, age 37, a resident of Metairie, was convicted by a federal jury sitting in New Orleans, Louisiana on multiple counts of distribution of heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.

According to testimony, on October 23, 2006, Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives working with Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, conducted the first of four controlled purchases of heroin from EFFRON on the West Bank. On November 13, 2006, during the time of the federal investigation of EFFRON, but unrelated to that investigation, New Orleans Police Officers working in Central City stopped EFFRON for a traffic violation and found a distributable quantity of heroin in his car. The car EFFRON was driving was the same car federal agents observed him in during the controlled purchases and was registered in his name. EFFRON admitted to the officers that the heroin belonged to him. The U. S. Attorney’s Office adopted this charge from the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office in the second superceding indictment against EFFRON returned by the grand jury on May 8, 2008.

After the final controlled purchase of heroin on December 14, 2006, the federal investigation of EFFRON remained open until March 7, 2008 when ATF and DEA agents executed a federal search warrant of EFFRON’s residence in Metairie. Inside EFFRON’s bedroom was over 130 grams of heroin, a MAK-90 assault rifle with a 72 round drum magazine fully loaded sitting in the rifle with a bullet in the chamber, and $13,020 in cash. In the kitchen of the residence was drug trafficking paraphernalia to include scales, cutting agent, and 900 plastic bags to package the dope. EFFRON had a prior felony conviction from 1988 making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

EFFRON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment on each of the four counts of distribution of a quantity of heroin and the one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin. On the possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin , EFFRON faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years imprisonment up to forty (40) years imprisonment. On the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, EFFRON faces a minimum five (5) years to life imprisonment with any sentence imposed for this count to run consecutively to sentences for other counts. EFFRON faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 20, 2008.

The case against EFFRON was investigated by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Emily Greenfield and Gina Vann.