Derrick Serignet, age 44, was indicted on Feb. 26 for possessing fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute, as well as firearm offenses, according to an April 9 announcement by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The indictment was unsealed on April 6.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to address violent crime and drug trafficking in the region. According to the indictment, Serignet allegedly possessed fentanyl and cocaine on Feb. 4 with the intent to distribute them and had a firearm in furtherance of that crime. Due to prior convictions for attempted armed robbery in Jefferson Parish, Serignet is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
If convicted of drug trafficking, Serignet faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. The charge related to possession of a firearm during drug trafficking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years—up to life—which must run consecutively with any other sentence; it also includes fines up to $250,000 and up to five years supervised release. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, he could face up to 15 years imprisonment, another $250,000 fine, and three more years under supervision. Each count includes a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Courcelle said: “The indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aiming at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with New Orleans Police Department investigated this case; Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit is leading the prosecution.
