Bogalusa and New Orleans Men Plead Guilty to Drug and Firearm Charges

NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on December 19, 2023, Jerome Shaquille Wilson, 27, of Bogalusa, plead guilty to Counts 1, 2, 3, and 4 while Gerroy Toca, 20, of New Orleans, plead guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a superseding indictment.

Count 1 charged Wilson and Toca with conspiring to distribute Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S. Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 21, U.S. Code, Section 846. Count 2 charged Wilson and Toca with conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 924(o). Count 3 charged Wilson and Toca with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 4 charged Wilson with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

For Count 1, Wilson and Toca face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

For Count 2, Wilson and Toca face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

For Count 3, Wilson and Toca face a up to five years in prison, to be run consecutive to all other counts, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

For Count 4, Wilson faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

On Dec. 6, 2022, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agents conducted surveillance of the 1900 block of Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. Their surveillance was for an unrelated investigation during which they observed Wilson. Wilson drove a white Dodge Challenger with one passenger, who was later identified as Toca. Agents observed Toca, Wilson and a third co-defendant Harry Banks engage in apparent illegal narcotics transactions, while in possession of firearms. Agents observed Banks enter the white Dodge Challenger and exit with a pistol in his left hand. Banks then appeared to conceal the firearm in his waistband. Toca was found with several suspected Tramadol pills and a Polymer Model P80, 9-millimeter pistol. The firearm also had a Glock Model 19 slide. ATF Agents notified the New Orleans Police Department who detained Toca and Banks. During the search, officers recovered a Sarsilmaz Model Sar 9, 9-millimeter pistol, from inside the center console of the vehicle.

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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice 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.

The case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.

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