Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on October 1, 2020, JOSE HUMBERTO DELSIB-MARTINEZ (hereinafter “DELSIB”), age 40, a native of Honduras, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in December 2019 to a three-count superseding bill of information, which charged him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A), illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).

According to documents filed in open court and signed by DELSIB at the time of his guilty plea, members of the Kenner Police Department Narcotics Section were conducting surveillance in connection with a drug trafficking complaint within the city of Kenner in the Eastern District of Louisiana. During surveillance, detectives observed DELSIB, the target of the investigation, travelling in his vehicle eastbound in the 600 block of 27th Street. Since the vehicle was observed to have illegally tinted windows, a traffic stop was conducted. DELSIB was advised of the ongoing narcotics investigation. The Kenner Police Detective spoke Spanish and was able to converse with DELSIB in that language. Thereafter DELSIB waived his rights and provided consent to search his vehicle. During the search, detectives located a clear plastic bag containing fourteen individually wrapped baggies of a white powder substance wedged between the driver’s side floor board and center console. A sample of the white powder substance chemically field tested positive for the presence of cocaine, 8.1 grams. The powder- totaling 8.1 grams, was later tested in a laboratory and found to be cocaine hydrochloride.

DELSIB agreed to cooperate with the investigation and subsequently provided consent to search his residence, located at 2755 Albany St., Apartment D, Kenner, La. During a search of DELSIB’S bedroom, he directed detectives to a silver 9mm handgun which was later identified as a Lorcin Engineering Model L-9 bearing serial number L-121517, which had been shipped in interstate commerce, a large clear plastic bag containing a white powder substance, and a black digital scale. All items were located within a large wooden floor speaker box. A sample of that white powder substance chemically field tested positive for the presence of cocaine, 18 grams. The substance was later tested in a laboratory and found to be cocaine hydrochloride.

DELSIB provided detectives with a voluntary statement advising that all seized items belonged solely to him and he sold cocaine as a way to make extra money. He said that he used the black digital scale to weigh narcotics prior to sale and he used his vehicle as an aid in transport of the illegal narcotics.

DELSIB faced a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release on all counts. His guideline sentence of twenty one months included a three year term of supervised release. He will be turned over to federal immigration agents for deportation back to Honduras after he serves his prison term. He has been incarcerated since his arrest in February 2019.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Kenner Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.

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