Men Charged In Ten Count Indictment with Obstruction Of Justice and Violations of Federal Firearms and Narcotics Laws

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that KENDALL BARNES, age 23, of New Orleans, and DERRICK GROVES, age 21, of New Orleans, were charged in a ten-count superseding indictment on April 11, 2019 by a federal grand jury.

The Indictment charges KENDALL BARNES and DERRICK GROVES with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin.  If convicted of these counts, KENDALL BARNES and DERRICK GROVES face a term of imprisonment of up to 30 years, a fine of up to $2 million, and at least six years of supervised release. The Indictment also charges KENDALL BARNES and DERRICK GROVES with conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  If convicted of this count, KENDALL BARNES and DERRICK GROVES face a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

The Indictment charges KENDALL BARNES, a convicted felon, with one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of this charge, KENDALL BARNES faces a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

The Indictment charges KENDALL BARNES with one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and DERRICK GROVES with two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.  If convicted of these counts, KENDALL BARNES and DERRICK GROVES face a minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years up to a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release, as to each count.  The term of imprisonment on these counts must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.

Additionally, the Indictment charges KENDALL BARNES with obstruction of justice.  If convicted of this count, KENDALL BARNES could face up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

The indictment also charges DERRICK GROVES with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl on October 12, 2018, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin on January 25, 2019.  If convicted of these counts, DERRICK GROVES could face up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release, as to each count.

U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated than an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crimes Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.