Donaldsonville man sentenced to 140 months in federal prison on drug distribution charges

A federal judge sentenced a Donaldsonville man to 140 months in federal prison following his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. announced in a news release that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced 39-year-old Christopher John Scieneaux. The court further sentenced Scieneaux to five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, between Nov. 22, 2019 and Jan. 23, 2020, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential informant to conduct three controlled buys of heroin and fentanyl from Scieneaux. 

During the buys, law enforcement observed Scieneaux driving one of two vehicles, both of which had been registered to his girlfriend. Officers conducted surveillance at the girlfriend’s residence and confirmed Scieneaux came and went from the home at all times of the day in both vehicles.

On March 13, 2020, a traffic stop was conducted after Scieneaux left the residence, at which time a small amount of narcotics was found in the vehicle, and officers obtained and executed a search warrant at the residence. Officers were able to unlock the residence with a key found in the vehicle driven by Scieneaux.

During the search of the residence, officers located some 1,300 grams of pure methamphetamine, 903 grams of fentanyl, and two scales (one with white residue) inside the master bedroom closet. 

Scieneaux’s Louisiana ID was found on top of the dresser in the master bedroom.  Inside the dresser, officers found rolling papers, a marijuana grinder with residue, and four more picture identifications belonging to Scieneaux.  Under the mattress in the master bedroom, $3,340 in denominations consistent with the sale of narcotics was also located.

The investigation was an effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers.

The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with critical assistance from the Internal Revenue Service, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gonzales Police Department, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.