Bryan Turner, a 20-year-old resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 24, 2025, to charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance.
According to court records, Turner had been selling narcotics in New Orleans since at least 2023. He worked with his brother and co-defendant Ryan Johnson to distribute drugs. On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence shared by Turner and Johnson. Authorities recovered firearms belonging to both men as well as significant amounts of marijuana, tapentadol, and tramadol intended for distribution. They also found a face mask, gloves, and burglary tools.
Turner pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Regarding his drug-trafficking convictions, Johnson faces up to 20 years in prison, fines up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. For the firearm offense linked to drug trafficking, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison—served consecutively with other sentences—fines up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count includes a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit is leading the prosecution.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone,” according to information released about the case. “On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.”
