A Northshore drug dealer has been convicted of murder because one of his customers died of a drug overdose.
In one of the first cases of its kind, 39-year-old Joseph Laue was convicted of second-degree murder in St. Tammany Parish.
A Slidell Police investigation into the 2015 overdose death of 24-year-old Albert Morant lead authorities to Morant's dealer, who they later identified as Laue.
Laue was selling heroin in his Slidell neighborhood so often that police would see him selling drugs whenever they were in the neighborhood for surveillance.
Police said undercover officers saw Laue personally selling heroin to more than one person on more than two occasions.
In a statement to the police, Laue admitted to being a middle man, making trips to New Orleans to provide heroin for his Slidell customers.
"This case demonstrates all aspects of the heroin epidemic that is sweeping the nation," the 22nd Judicial District Attorney said in a statement.
The conviction comes as a new state law allows prosecutors to charge drug dealers with murder for the overdose deaths of their customers.
Facing mandatory life imprisonment, Laue's sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9.
