Las Vegas man sentenced for distributing Ecstasy in parish

A 30-year-old Las Vegas man was sentenced to more than six years in prison this week for distributing Ecstasy to undercover cops in St. Tammany Parish, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten’s Office said.

Mahir Ansari, who was arrested with 4,000 tablets in his hatchback vehicle July 19, 2007, was sentenced Thursday by U. S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute the euphoric drug.

Ansari, who admitted he conspired with his brother, Azizi Ansari, to distribute the drug to undercover St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, must also serve three years of supervised release when released from prison. The legal status of any case against Azizi Ansari was not clear in a press release.

Ansari entered a guilty plea Nov. 7, 2007, Letten’s office said.

DEA agents as well as the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Veters.