A Jefferson Parish man, identified as Kernelius Alford, age 35, from Metairie, has been charged with multiple firearm and narcotics violations following a federal indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans last Friday. The six-count superseding indictment detailed a range of offenses, including possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and illegal firearm possession due to Alford's prior felony convictions, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Specific charges cited in the indictment include one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, a crime punishable by up to five years imprisonment, and a potential $250,000 fine, besides supervised release for at least two years. Alford also faces mandatory minimum sentencing of 5 years for two counts of possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking activities, and, up to 15 years imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As per the U.S. Attorney's Office details, Alford was found in possession of a firearm on May 2, in direct violation of law barring felons from owning firearms, setting the stage for potential penalties reaching 20 years of imprisonment for additional drug distribution charges. A cumulative fine of potentially millions of dollars, along with several years of supervised release.
While the indictment is a serious legal charge, U.S. Attorney Evans stressed that an indictment is a mere allegation, and the defendant's guilt needs to be established "beyond a reasonable doubt" in the court of law. Alford's indictment falls under the ambit of Project Safe Neighborhoods — a collaborative initiative aimed at lowering violent crime and gun violence to pave safer communities. Part of this strategy, as mentioned in the indictment, involves building community trust, enabling community-based violence prevention, and formulating precise enforcement priorities, as mentioned by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Investigations leading to Alford’s indictment involved efforts by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department, revealing a multi-agency approach to law enforcement within the framework of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit is charged with the prosecution of this case. The goal of Project Safe Neighborhoods is to create safer neighborhoods through strenuous enforcement and community involvement, fitting within the broader Department of Justice's violent crime reduction strategy unveiled in May 2021, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
