Press Releases
ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CONSPIRACY AND FIREARMS CHARGES IN FEDERAL COURT
March 2, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCHELLO JONES, age 27, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Judge Sarah Vance to participating in a drug conspiracy and illegally discharging a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the factual basis, MARCHELLO JONES admitted to participating in a conspiracy, along with co-defendants DWAYNE HITCHENS, DESTINY DANIELS, CALIS COLLINS, ALONZO COLLINS, CARL FIELDS,, KENDRELL FIELDS, JASMINE HILL, KEITH JOHNSON, and RONNELL JACKSON, to distribute over 50 grams of cocaine base (crack), over 500 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, and a quantity of marijuana. JONES also admitted to discharging a firearm in furtherance of the conspiracy, stemming from a March 6, 2008 incident that took place at the “What’s Up Tattoo Shop” on Earhardt Boulevard.
Because JONES has several felony convictions, he faces a mandatory minimum of twenty (20) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment as to the conspiracy charge. Additionally, as to the gun charge, JONES faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years imprisonment to run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the conspiracy charge. The nine co-defendants previously pled guilty to various charges associated with this prosecution.
Local news media have written several stories about JONES in the past. A quick look on the internet will reveal the numerous articles written about him and the revolving door of the state criminal justice system. In 2005, JONES was named the city’s most dangerous criminal.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Officers of the New Orleans Police Department, Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Deputies of the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office, and Deputies of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Deputies with the U. S. Marshals Service.
This prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Capitelli and Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
)
