Donald Kelly Convicted on Federal Drug and Firearms Charges
A federal jury found West Monroe resident Donald Kelly guilty of drug trafficking and weapons offenses following a two-day trial.
3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 18, 2026, 12:06 p.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 18, 2026, 12:41 p.m. ET — checked 56 min ago.
Earlier reports
Aug 18, 2026, 12:31 p.m. ET
Donald Kelly Convicted on Federal Drug and Firearms Charges in Louisiana
On August 11, 2026, a federal jury convicted Donald Kelly, 44, of West Monroe, Louisiana, on four federal drug and firearms charges following a two-day trial, according to records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Kelly was found 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.
According to official court records, Kelly faces up to life imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for November 10, 2026. Evidence presented at trial showed that Kelly sold 112 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Agents executing a search warrant at his residence the next day recovered two baggies of methamphetamine floating in a toilet, two handguns, and $23,700 in cash.
Court records indicate Kelly had a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller announced the verdict in case 3:25-cr-00082-01, which was investigated by the ATF, DEA, Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish, Monroe Police Department, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office.
Aug 18, 2026, 12:06 p.m. ETFirst report
West Monroe Man Convicted on Federal Drug and Firearms Charges
On August 11, 2026, a federal jury in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana found 44-year-old Donald Kelly of West Monroe guilty on federal drug and firearms charges following a two-day trial, according to official court documents released on August 18, 2026. The criminal proceeding remains open as Kelly awaits sentencing. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller announced that Kelly was convicted 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.
Court records show Kelly had a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Kelly sold 112 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source during an undercover buy. During a search warrant executed at his residence the next day, law enforcement officers located two handguns, $23,700 in cash, and two baggies of methamphetamine floating in the toilet. Although Kelly claimed he was a user rather than a seller, officers found no pipes or syringes in the residence. The court granted a prosecution motion precluding an entrapment defense after the defense was unable to provide a basis for it.
Kelly faces up to life imprisonment, with sentencing set for November 10, 2026. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish, the Monroe Police Department, and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Gaskins and Amy Miller prosecuted the case.
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- Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:31current
First published.
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:06current
First published.
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 16:41current
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