Two New Orleans residents, Yuan Buggage and Algernon Jacques, both 25, have been indicted on federal drug and firearm charges following a recently unsealed six-count indictment. The charges stem from alleged violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson, Buggage and Jacques are accused of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Tapentadol—a Schedule II controlled substance—and marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance. The indictment also alleges that both men possessed firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Specifically, court documents state that between March 31, 2025, and April 24, 2025, Buggage and Jacques conspired with others to distribute these substances in New Orleans. Authorities say the firearms involved included two Glock Model 23 .40 caliber pistols and one Glock Model 43X nine-millimeter pistol.
Buggage faces an additional charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm during this period.
If convicted on the conspiracy or distribution counts, both defendants could face up to 20 years in prison per count, fines up to $1 million each, and at least three years of supervised release. For possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, they face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years—potentially up to life imprisonment—to be served consecutively with other sentences. This count also carries fines up to $250,000 and up to five years supervised release. The felon-in-possession charge against Buggage alone could result in up to 15 years’ imprisonment plus fines.
Each count includes a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
“An indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson.
Simpson commended the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New Orleans Police Department, and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell is leading the prosecution as part of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice focused on combatting illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and reducing violent crime through coordination with programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
