A Covington man has been handed a sentence of over five years in federal prison for his role in distributing significant amounts of fentanyl, an opioid which has been at the center of a deepening public health crisis in the United States. Jaylon Carter, 24, was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $300 in special assessment fees, after his guilty plea to three counts of distributing 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl.
Judge Susie Morgan of the United States District Court delivered Carter's sentence on charges stemming from a law enforcement operation that included the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Carter was caught selling "M30 blue pills" – a street term for oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl – from an apartment complex in Covington, or from his vehicle. It is said, that in January 2024, local authorities received a tip regarding Carter's activities which led them to confirm his residence at the complex.
The Assistant United States Attorney André Jones, of the Narcotics Unit who handled the prosecution, provided the details of the investigation that brought Carter to justice. Undercover detectives utilized an individual, whom Carter believed was a legitimate buyer, to carry out three controlled purchases of the illicit pills directly from the defendant at the named apartment complex. The successful sting operation was instrumental in securing Carter's conviction for violating the Controlled Substances Act.
