NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 31, 2023, HARRY BANKS, age 21, of New Orleans, plead guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a superseding indictment. Count 1 charged BANKS with conspiring to distribute Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(b)(1)(C) and Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. Count 2 charged BANKS with conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). Count 3 charged BANKS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
For Count 1, BANKS faces up to (20) twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, at least (3) three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
For Count 2, BANKS faces up to (20) twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to (3) three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
For Count 3, BANKS faces a minimum of (5) five years in prison up to life in prison, to be run consecutive to all other counts, a fine of up to $250,000, up to (3) three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to public records, on December 6, 2022, Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Agents were conducting surveillance of the 1900 block of Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, in an unrelated investigation and saw an individual, later identified as Jerome Shaquille Wilson. Wilson was driving a white Dodge Challenger with one passenger, who was later identified as Gerroy Toca. Agents subsequently saw Toca Wilson, and BANKS engaged in apparent illegal narcotics transactions, while in possession of firearms. Agents later saw 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. ATF Agents notified the New Orleans Police Department who detained Toca and BANKS. BANKS was found in possession of approximately 6.7 grams of suspected fentanyl and a Smith & Wesson Model M&P 40 2.0M, .40 caliber pistol, both of which were concealed in his waistband. By pleading guilty, BANKS admitted that he and his co-defendants were selling illegal drugs, which later tested positive for fentanyl and were armed with firearms.
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 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit.
