Glenn Metz: The Fearless Kingpin Who Ruled New Orleans’ Streets

In the heart of New Orleans during the 1980s and early 1990s, few names carried more weight—or more fear—than Glenn Metz. Known as the powerful leader of The Metz Gang, he built one of the most dominant and dangerous drug organizations the city had ever seen. Operating primarily out of the city’s notorious housing projects, Metz’s empire became a symbol of both the ruthless efficiency and devastating impact of the crack cocaine era in America.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Glenn Metz rose from the streets with sharp instincts, leadership skills, and a relentless drive for power. As the city’s drug trade exploded, Metz positioned himself at the top, overseeing a vast operation that moved massive amounts of cocaine and heroin throughout the region. His organization—often referred to simply as The Metz Gang—controlled territory through a mix of intimidation, loyalty, and violence.

At its height, the Metz organization was reportedly responsible for flooding large portions of Uptown New Orleans with drugs, generating millions of dollars in profits. Metz was known for keeping his circle tight, surrounding himself with trusted family members and loyal lieutenants who helped him manage both the product and the protection of his empire. Federal agents would later describe the group as one of the most structured and disciplined drug operations in Louisiana’s history.

But with power came attention—and soon, federal authorities began closing in. After years of investigation, Glenn Metz and many of his top associates were indicted on a sweeping list of charges, including drug trafficking and murder. Prosecutors painted him as a cold and calculated leader whose organization not only controlled the streets but also instilled fear in anyone who dared to cross them.

In the early 1990s, Metz was convicted and sentenced to life in federal prison, bringing an end to an era that had defined New Orleans’ underworld for more than a decade. His downfall marked one of the most significant victories in the federal war on drugs within the Gulf South region.

Even behind bars, Glenn Metz’s name continues to carry a certain infamy in New Orleans—a name whispered in the city’s neighborhoods and remembered by those who lived through that violent, chaotic period. To some, he was a symbol of power and street dominance; to others, a cautionary tale of how ambition and the lure of fast money can destroy lives and communities.

Glenn Metz’s story is forever intertwined with the history of New Orleans’ streets—a reminder of the city’s dark past and the men who once ruled it with iron fists and unshakable control.