Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession in Drug Case
Keith Moret, 30, of New Orleans, admitted to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, with sentencing set for February 2027.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Drug Crime
Keith Moret pled guilty on October 27, 2026, to Count 8 of a superseding indictment, charging possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2027, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
Why it matters
The plea resolves a case that began with a June 2025 pursuit by Louisiana State Troopers and an ATF investigation into narcotics dealing in Orleans Parish. Count 8 carries a mandatory minimum of five years, which will shape the sentence Moret faces in New Orleans federal court.
Moret pled guilty to Count 8, which carries a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment. The sentence will not be imposed until his February 2, 2027 hearing.
The players
Keith Moret
A 30-year-old New Orleans resident who pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Wendy B. Vitter
Chief U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, presiding over the case and scheduled to sentence Moret.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
The federal agency whose agents identified Moret as a narcotics dealer during an operation in Orleans Parish.
The details
On June 30, 2025, Moret and McCall Washington fled Louisiana State Troopers at high speed; Washington lost control and crashed into a residence's concrete steps and porch. Troopers smelled marijuana, found a loaded F&N Model Five Seven pistol within Moret's reach, and recovered his backpack containing marijuana, cash and plastic baggies, and Moret admitted the marijuana was for distribution.
Timeline
June 30, 2025: Moret and Washington flee troopers, and the vehicle crashes into a residence.
October 27, 2026: Moret pleads guilty to Count 8.
February 2, 2027: Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
Legal Context
Count 8 falls under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which requires a mandatory minimum of five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and runs consecutively to other sentences. Cases like Moret's show how federal prosecutors pair firearm counts with traffic-stop drug seizures in Louisiana.
Residents in the New Orleans area are reminded that federal firearm-in-furtherance charges carry mandatory prison time, and the June 2025 crash at a residence shows how pursuits can endanger bystanders. Drivers and homeowners near traffic-stop corridors should be aware of the risks these incidents pose.
The takeaway
A mandatory-minimum federal firearm charge can add years to a drug sentence regardless of the underlying drug quantity, so anyone facing such a charge should consult counsel early. Court dates and charge details are public record through federal docket systems.
What happens next
Moret is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wendy B. Vitter on February 2, 2027.
Further reading
For more on related cases, see Drug Crime coverage in New Orleans.
