Michael Anderson, Leader of the "Josephine Dog Pound", Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for RICO and Murder Charges
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL ANDERSON, age 26, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana was sentenced today by the U. S. District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to life imprisonment. ANDERSON pled guilty to a plea agreement which encompassed ANDERSON’S federal and state charges in March of 2011. ANDERSON pled guilty to Counts 1, 2 and 6 of a Federal Superseding Indictment which charged him with violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, the Federal Controlled Substances Act, and the Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering Act. On Monday, March 21, 2011, ANDERSON entered a plea of nolo contendere to five counts of manslaughter in the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court before the Honorable Lynda Van Davis.
Count 1 charged ANDERSON with participating in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO
) conspiracy.
Count 2 charged ANDERSON with conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack
), a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, heroin, and marijuana.
Count 6 charged ANDERSON with Murder in Aid of Racketeering of Ronnie Meade on July 14, 2005.
This case arose from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF
) that targeted an area in New Orleans which exhibited a disproportionate amount of violent crimes and narcotics trafficking. During the course of the investigation, specific individuals were identified as the main perpetrators of many of the violent acts and the narcotics distribution. The superseding indictment charged ANDERSON, HAROLD JONES, THERON JONES, JEREMIAH MILLRO, COREY OLIVER, DARRYL SHIELDS, JEROME SIMMONS and TONY SIMMONS, for the their involvement in a racketeering enterprise, sometimes referred to as the Josephine Dog Pound.
All members of the organization engaged in, among other things, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
ANDERSON’S seven co-defendants pled guilty and have been sentenced. HAROLD JONES received a 30 years sentence, THERON JONES received a 20 year sentence, JEREMIAH MILLRO received a 25 year sentence, COREY OLIVER received a 20 year sentence, DARRYL SHIELDS received life imprisonment, JEROME SIMMONS received a 15 year sentence, and TONY SIMMONS received a 30 year sentence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and by the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera.
###