Restaurant owner indicted for cocaine conspiracy, illegal firearms

The owner of Danny’s Big Easy Cajun restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today on additional drug-trafficking and firearms charges.

Paul Danny Gosserand, 57, of Kansas City, Kan., was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. The indictment was announced by Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Today’s indictment retains the original charge of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine in May 2011. Gosserand is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Gosserand allegedly was in possession of a Sears Roebuck and Co. 16-gauge bolt action shotgun with no serial number and a North American Arms .22-caliber long rifle revolver on May 18, 2011.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.