Leader of the drug trafficking organization in the EBR area, convicted on drug and weapons charges

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The leader of a drug trafficking organization operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas has been sentenced to more than two decades behind bars on drug and gun charges.

American lawyer Ronald. C. Gathe Jr. announced that Corey Terrell Gardner, 33, of Baton Rouge, was sentenced to 260 months (approximately 21 years) in prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Gardner was also sentenced to five years of supervised release following his prison term, and must forfeit all proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, along with firearms and ammunition seized by police.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Gardner operated a stash house and was an organizer, leader, manager or supervisor.

Officials said that as part of his guilty plea, he admitted to running the drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area from March to September 2019, where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin.

Police reportedly seized more than 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl when they raided his home and other locations associated with him. They also reportedly seized four firearms and 130 rounds of ammunition from Gardner that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs and his cash proceeds from drug sales.

According to the DOJ, Gardner was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in January 2018. He was sentenced to more than twelve months in prison. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case was an operation of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).

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