A New Orleans man has been sentenced to 66 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to several drug trafficking and firearm offenses. Eric Falkins, 19, received his sentence on August 14, 2025, from U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown. In addition to his prison term, Falkins will serve five years of supervised release and must pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
Falkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges are violations of Title 21 and Title 18 of the United States Code.
According to court documents, Falkins had been selling marijuana in New Orleans since at least 2023 and was working with others in these activities. On January 24, 2024, he visited Touro Infirmary hospital carrying a backpack that smelled strongly of marijuana. Authorities found two plastic bags containing distributable quantities of marijuana, seventeen sealed pre-packaged bags of marijuana, a sealed bag of marijuana edibles, two digital scales, and a loaded Radical Firearms Model RF-15 semi-automatic pistol inside the backpack.
“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. 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,” according to information provided by authorities.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting.
