West Monroe man convicted on multiple federal drug and firearms charges (DOJ)

MONROE - On August 11, 2026, a federal jury found Donald Kelly, 44, of West Monroe, guilty of Distribution of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person; and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime after a two-day trial. Kelly faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026.

According to court records, Kelly had a prior federal Possession with Intent to Distribute crack cocaine conviction. Evidence presented at trial showed that Kelly was a Monroe-area drug trafficker who sold 112 grams of meth to a confidential source in an undercover buy. The day after the buy, agents executed a search warrant on Kelly's residence, where they found two baggies of Methamphetamine floating in the toilet as well as two handguns and $23,700 in cash. Kelly claimed that he was a user, not a seller, despite the fact that he had no pipes or syringes in his residence.

Prosecutors anticipated that Kelly would attempt to make an entrapment defense; they asked the court before trial to require the defense to present evidence supporting that claim. The Court granted the motion, eliminating Kelly's use of that defense due to his inability to provide any basis for it.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish, the Monroe Police Department (MPD), and Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO) investigated this case.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Gaskins and Amy Miller with assistance from Legal Assistants Emily Favrot, Stephanie Stewart, and Amanda Morgan.

This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 3:25-cr-00082-01.

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