Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Texas man sentenced to 14 years and 10 months for transporting a minor to Shreveport for prostitutionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a man from Texas was sentenced to 178 months in prison for bringing a minor to Shreveport to engage in prostitution.
Larry D. Bluitt, 27, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 8, 2015 guilty plea, a law enforcement agent working in an undercover capacity responded to an online ad for prostitution on December 17, 2014. The undercover agent arranged to meet an individual at a Shreveport hotel for the purpose of prostitution. Agents observed Bluitt driving a 14-year-old female to the hotel to meet the undercover agent for sex. After he dropped off the juvenile, Bluitt was arrested by members of the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. Bluitt admitted he drove the minor female from Dallas to Shreveport for prostitution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
“Human sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery that is made even worse in this case because the defendant was using a child,” Finley stated. “Prosecuting crimes such as this one are a top priority for this office. Our efforts are focused on stopping these crimes in our district so that no one has to endure the pain and torture. I want to thank the federal, state and local agencies and the prosecutor who work so hard to successfully investigate and prosecute these cases.”
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Shreveport FBI office number is (318) 861-1890.
The FBI-Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Former Lafayette postal employee pleads guilty to stealing gift cardsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette woman pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing gift cards from envelopes while working as a postal employee.
Tonia R. Moore-Parker, 36, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of theft of mail matter by a postal service employee. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Moore-Parker worked as a U.S. Postal Service employee from October 8 to October 31, 2015 and was entrusted with mail matter. During that time, she opened five envelopes and stole gift cards worth $150.
Moore-Parker faces five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport woman pleads guilty to stealing more than $200,000 in Social Security benefitsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing more than $200,000 in Social Security benefits.
Rose Marie Jackson, 78, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of theft of government property. According to the guilty plea, Jackson received $206,891 in Social Security benefits from March of 1986 to January of 2015 to which she was not entitled. Thomas Jackson died in 1986, but the Social Security benefit checks continued to be sent to a shared post office box. Rose Jackson continued to cash the checks and signed them with Thomas Jackson’s name. The Social Security Administration was not aware of Thomas Jackson’s death, and Rose Jackson did not alert the office to the truth during that time.
Jackson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date of September 8, 2016 was set.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Commercial driver’s license skills examiner pleads guilty to falsifying test resultsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Louisiana third party commercial driver’s license skills examiner pleaded guilty to falsifying test results by indicating a passing grade for driving skills tests that never took place.
Christopher D. Pender, 40, of Stonewall, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of making and using a false writing and document. According to the guilty plea, Pender, who was certified to administer commercial driver’s license skills tests, provided an applicant with a “Commercial Driver’s Skills Test Certificate” in November of 2014 when the applicant had not even taken, much less passed, the federally required test. He did this in exchange for cash, which allowed the applicant to fraudulently obtain a Louisiana commercial driver’s license.
Pender faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for September 8, 2016.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Flanagan and Michael O’Mara are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office urges public to participate in drug take-back driveRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley urges the public to get out this weekend and throw out unused prescription drugs.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and more than 3,800 national, tribal and community law enforcement partners nationwide will be promoting National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day with events across the nation this weekend. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. It also educates the public about the potential for abuse of medications. Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern because they are highly susceptible to accidental ingestion, theft, misuse and abuse. More than 46,000 Americans die each year from drug-related deaths, and more than half of those are from heroin and prescription opioids. The DEA reports that almost twice as many Americans (6.5 million) abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin and inhalants combined, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. More Americans died in 2010 from overdoses of prescription medications (22,134, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers) than from motor vehicle accidents, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies show that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
The DEA will have collection sites across the country on Saturday, April 30th, for those who are interested in bringing their unused or expired prescription drugs for proper disposal. Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought to the collection sites – liquids and needles or other sharp objects will not be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Prescription drugs can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, at the following sites:
Shreveport
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Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff’s Safety Town in the Parking Lot of Summer Grove Baptist Church, 8910 Jewella Ave.
Bossier City
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Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office Viking Drive Substation, 2510 Viking Drive
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Louisiana State Police Troop G office, 5300 Industrial Drive, Extended
Barskdale Air Force Base
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455 Curtis Road
Monroe
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Louisiana State Police Troop F office, 1240 Highway 594
Alexandria
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Louisiana State Police Troop E office, 1710 Odom St.
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Alexandria Police Department, 1000 Bolton Ave.
Lafayette
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Louisiana State Police Troop I office, 121 E. Pont Des Mouton Road
Broussard
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Broussard Police Department at Walgreen’s Parking Lot, 105 St. Nazaire
Lake Charles
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Lake Charles Police Department at the Lake Charles Civic Center Parking Lot, 900 Lakeshore Drive
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Louisiana State Police Troop D office, 805 Main St.
The public can also find a nearby collection site by visiting www.dea.gov, clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon, and following the links to a database where they enter their zip code or call 800-882-9539.
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U.S. Attorney, Caddo Parish Sheriff partner to observe Reentry Week with discussions, tourRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley and Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator partnered to hold roundtable discussions, a tour and other events for National Reentry Week.
The program, called Project A.C.E. (Addressing, Connecting and Educating), featured U.S. Attorney’s Office staff, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office staff and others discussing ways to reduce recidivism in our communities. The event started Wednesday with a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Courthouse on Fannin Street where U.S. Attorney Office staff, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office staff, public officials, law enforcement, attorneys, prison staff and others joined to talk about how to better assist those who reenter society after completing their prison terms. There were more than 15 agencies with 40-plus representatives present. They shared their successes as well as hardships with reentry. The hope is that offering more and improved tailor-made training, counseling, medical and mental treatment, and other assistance to those incarcerated will reduce the chances that prosecuted individuals will end up back in prison. The event also featured a tour of the Caddo Parish Work Release-Reentry Facility Thursday on Forum Drive so that visitors could see work already being conducted.
As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to strengthening the criminal justice system, the Department of Justice designated April 24 to 30, 2016, as National Reentry Week. Each year more than 600,000 citizens return to neighborhoods after serving time in federal and state prisons. Another 11.4 million individuals cycle through local jails. Nearly one in three Americans of working age have had some sort of encounter with the criminal justice system — mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses and sometimes from decades in the past. The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education and credit — and these barriers affect returning individuals even if they have turned their lives around and are unlikely to reoffend.
The Department of Justice outlined principles in the “Roadmap to Reentry” through work with the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, which has been working since its creation five years ago to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health and child welfare outcomes.
National Reentry Week events were planned in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. United States Attorney’s Offices alone are hosting more than 200 events, and U.S. Bureau of Prisons facilities are holding more than 370 events.
For more information see the additional resources below:
President’s Weekly Address: REENTRY
National Reentry Week Webpage
REPORT: Roadmap to Reentry
INFOGRAPHIC: Roadmap to Reentry
FACT SHEET: BOP Reentry
FACT SHEET: Federal Interagency Reentry Council
FACT SHEET: Fair Chance Business Pledge
REPORT: CEA Report
Natchitoches man pleads guilty to methamphetamine, firearm possession chargeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Natchitoches man pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.
Harold Jumale Anderson, 42, of Natchitoches, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled buy of methamphetamine using a confidential informant on August 18, 2015 in Alexandria. After his arrest, Anderson’s residence was searched. Agents found more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded Ruger 9 mm handgun and additional ammunition in his bedroom.
Anderson faces 10 years to life in prison for the methamphetamine possession count. He also faces a minimum of five years in prison for the firearm count, which will run consecutive to the methamphetamine possession count. He also faces at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. A sentencing date of July 20, 2016 was set.
The FBI and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.
Man from El Salvador pleads guilty to smuggling illegal aliens for profitRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a citizen of El Salvador pleaded guilty Monday to transporting illegal immigrants for his own profit.
Raul Alexander Soriano, 29, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty before by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of transporting illegal aliens. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi. According to the guilty plea, Border Patrol agents stopped Soriano’s vehicle on December 22, 2015, near Lake Charles. Four passengers were found in the vehicle with Soriano, and each admitted to being in the United States illegally. The passengers had paid Soriano to be transported to other areas of the United States as part of a human smuggling operation.
Soriano faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 11, 2016, was set.
United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph is prosecuting the case.
Lake Charles resident pleads guilty to failing to update his sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lake Charles resident formerly from Texas pleaded guilty last week to failing to update his sex offender registration.
John L. Edwards, 59, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of failure to update sex offender registration. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi. According to the guilty plea, the Dallas Police Department received a tip that Edwards was residing in Lake Charles. A warrant was executed, and he was arrested on December 28, 2015 in Lake Charles. Edwards later admitted to moving to Lake Charles from Dallas on June 21, 2015. In 2002, Edwards was sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender on a quarterly basis for life. His last registration was in Texas in June of 2014.
Edwards faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 11, 2016 has been set.
The U.S. Marshals Service and Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
Former Morgan City Housing Authority director, employee plead guilty to conspiracy chargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that the former director of the Morgan City Housing Authority and a former employee pleaded guilty to charges related to theft of more than a half a million dollars.
Charles E. Spann, 78, of Kingsport, Tenn., and Tori D. Johnson, 38, of Morgan City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Spann, Johnson and two other Morgan City Housing Authority employees received $514,764.14 in bonus payments to which they were not entitled from 2007 to 2013. In 2007, a one-time bonus for work performed in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita was granted. After the one-time bonuses were sent to all employees of the housing authority, Johnson requested from Spann, who was director of the housing authority, that she, Spann and two other employees, Diana L. Pace, 64, and Sandra L. Greene, 59, both of Morgan City, continue to receive bonuses. Johnson wrote false justifications for the bonuses and Spann signed off on them. The bonuses were not approved by the civil service board or the Morgan City Housing Authority Board of Directors. Span received $111,657.47, and Johnson received $100,040.23 to which they were not entitled.
The defendants face five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date of June 27, 2016 was set for Spann and Johnson.
The U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Investigations, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Robert F. Moore are prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon pleads guilty to illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded revolver after being convicted of a felony.
Joseph Dominic Pronnette Jr., 34, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, members of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force executed an arrest warrant on September 13, 2015 on Pronnette for a prior felony. He was found in the driver’s seat of a car parked behind a residence in Shreveport. After he was removed from the car and taken into custody, a loaded .38 caliber revolver was found on the driver’s seat.
It is unlawful for Pronnette to possess a firearm or ammunition as he has prior felony convictions for felony theft, simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, and domestic abuse aggravated assault.
Pronnette faces up to 10 years in prison, one to three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 1, 2016 was set.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Louisiana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Former Shreveport chiropractor, son plead guilty to operating illegal bitcoin exchange businessRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a former Shreveport chiropractor and his son pleaded guilty Tuesday to funneling money through an unlawful bitcoin financial scheme.
Randall Bryan Lord, 58, and his son, Michael Aaron Lord, 29, both of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. They pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money servicing business. In addition, Michael Lord pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy for agreeing to distribute controlled dangerous substances to include alprazolam, a Schedule IV controlled substance. According to the guilty plea, from at least 2013 to 2015, the defendants were accepting currency, money orders and money paks and exchanging those funds for bitcoin, a decentralized form of electronic or digital currency, existing entirely on the Internet and not in any physical form. Contrary to law, the Lords were not registered with FinCEN or licensed to operate as a money service business with the State of Louisiana. The Lords also failed to report the receipt of more than $10,000 in U.S. currency. Also, beginning in March 2015, Michael Lord was involved in a drug conspiracy to distribute alprazolam.
The defendants face five years in prison for the conspiracy count, and Michael Lord faces five years in prison for the drug count. They also face three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of August 1, 2016 was set.
The IRS, FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan is prosecuting the case.
Winnfield resident sentenced to 70 months in prison for failure to register as a sex offenderRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Winnfield resident was sentenced last week to 70 months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender after moving to Louisiana from Michigan.
Dexter Lavar Powell, 38, of Winnfield, La., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of failure to register as a sex offender. Powell was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the January 12, 2016 guilty plea, Powell traveled to Louisiana from Michigan between November 2013 and May 2014. On May 7, 2014, Powell applied for and received a Louisiana identification card that did not have the required “sex offender” label listing a Winnfield address. He began living and working in Winn Parish in May 2014. Even after being contacted by authorities and told to register, he never registered as a sex offender in Louisiana. While not registered as a sex offender, Powell committed and pleaded guilty in March 2015 to felony cruelty to a juvenile in Winn Parish. After repeated attempts to capture him, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him on September 2, 2015. Powell is required to register as a sex offender for life based on a 2000 conviction for attempted kidnapping of a 9-month-old child in Michigan.
The U.S. Marshal’s Service and Winnfield Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara is prosecuting the case.
Bankruptcy attorney sentenced to 34 months in prison for bankruptcy fraudRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a bankruptcy attorney was sentenced to 34 months in prison for collecting filing fees from clients without informing the bankruptcy court.
Glay H. Collier II, 53, of Benton, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James on one count of bankruptcy fraud. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $69,063.05 restitution. According to evidence presented at the November 10, 2015 guilty plea, Collier filed records into the bankruptcy court stating that he would accept “No Look” fees as payment for his services. The “No Look” fee caps attorney’s fees in bankruptcy proceedings to $2,800. In excess of that limit, Collier charged up to $281 in filing fees to some clients, which he did not disclose to the court. Between March 2010 and November 2013, Collier filed 983 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases in Monroe, and during the same time period, he filed 2,160 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases in Shreveport. In approximately 479 of these cases, Collier fraudulently collected and attempted to collect filing fees.
The FBI and the U.S. Trustee’s Office, Region 5, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.
Rapides Parish man pleads guilty to sending obscene images to a minorRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that an Alexandria man pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempting to send obscene material to a minor.
William Ware, 38, of Alexandria, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. According to the guilty plea, on December 9, 2014, Ware contacted a 13-year-old minor female using social media over the internet. He then sent the minor two sexually explicit videos using an internet chat service. The minor was in fact an undercover agent, and Ware was later arrested.
Ware faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of July 20, 2016 was set.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Melville man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Melville man was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in prison for storing child pornography on electronic devices.
Russell Guillory, 34, of Melville, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. According to the October 9, 2015 guilty plea, Guillory’s home was searched in January of 2015. The investigation uncovered four electronic devices Guillory owned containing 75 videos and six images of child pornography. The Court noted that the child pornography involved extremely young children and babies and was some of the most disturbing of which he was aware.
“The exploitation of children through pornography is a horrible and reprehensible crime,” Finley stated. “We take our responsibility to protect children seriously as this prosecution and sentencing once again demonstrates.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and John Luke Walker are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application (www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app). Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Man from Mexico, aggravated felon arrested in New Iberia sentenced for reentering the United States illegally 3 timesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a man from Mexico was sentenced to 18 months in prison on charges that he reentered the United States illegally at least three times.
Felipe Escobar-Martinez, 41, of Veracruz, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to the December 22, 2015 guilty plea, the defendant was arrested in New Iberia, La. Escobar-Martinez admits he is a national of Mexico and was removed from the United States in 1999, 2000 and 2005. The defendant also admits that in June 2000, he was convicted of a crime qualifying as an aggravated felony in Maricopa County, Ariz.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man pleads guilty to drug and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty last week to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Latrenton D. Washington, 28, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the guilty plea, while executing a warrant for another defendant at Washington’s residence on August 12, 2014, Shreveport police and Louisiana Probation and Parole agents discovered marijuana, scales and packaging items along with a loaded Romarm WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle with a drum magazine holding 65 rounds of 7.62x39 mm ammunition and a loaded Taurus .45 caliber pistol in Washington’s bedroom.
Washington faces up to five years in prison on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count and an additional mandatory sentence of five years to life in prison for the possession of a firearm in the furtherance of the drug trafficking count. The five year sentence for the firearm is mandatory and runs consecutive to his sentence on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count. Additionally, he faces five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. A sentencing date of August 4, 2016 was set.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF, Louisiana State Probation and Parole, and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.
El Paso man pleads guilty to liquid meth possession and distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that an El Paso man pleaded guilty last week to conspiring to transport and distribute methamphetamine.
Eduardo Guerrero, 24, of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Robert G. James to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to the guilty plea, Louisiana State Police troopers conducted a traffic stop on a pickup truck traveling eastbound on Interstate 20 in Ouachita Parish in March of 2015. After a search of the vehicle, two gas tanks were found on the vehicle and one contained 16 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, which is approximately 28.8 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. The driver and passenger did not own the vehicle. Guerrero was determined to be the owner, and the driver said Guerrero had directed him to transport the methamphetamine from El Paso to Atlanta, Ga. State police arrested Guerrero in the New Orleans area while he traveled to retrieve the truck and methamphetamine.
Guerrero faces up to a minimum of 10 years to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. Sentencing has been set for July 5, 2016.
The DEA, Department of Homeland Security, and Louisiana State Police, Troop F, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison D. Bushnell and Michael O’Mara are prosecuting the case.
Mexican national sentenced to 2 years in prison for reentering the United States without permissionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Mexican national was sentenced Monday to 24 months in prison for reentering the United States without first obtaining permission.
Efrain Mendoza-Guevara, 31, of Veracruz, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of reentry of a removed alien. According to evidence presented at the November 12, 2015 guilty plea, the defendant was arrested for driving while intoxicated on May 16, 2015, in Bossier City, La. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Mendoza-Guevara had been deported in February of 2004 after being convicted of a felony and had not received permission to reenter the United States.
Homeland Security Investigations-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Bossier City resident sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Bossier City man was sentenced Monday to 180 months in prison for receiving child pornography.
Christopher J. Leger, 53, of Bossier City, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of receiving child pornography. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. According to the November 18, 2015 guilty plea, federal agents executed a search warrant March 13, 2014 on Leger’s residence. Child pornography had previously been downloaded from a computer at the address. After examining media devices from the residence, agents found 76 images and two videos of child pornography.
“The internet is not a safe haven for those downloading and sharing images of abused children,” Finley stated. “These materials are illegal and perpetuate the extreme abuse of children. This prison sentence shows that abusers will be vigorously prosecuted.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
Defendant sentenced to 21 months in prison for reentering the United States illegallyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a defendant was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison on one count of re-entry of a removed alien.
Jose Juan Rodriguez-Guarda, 32, of Chiapas, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of re-entry of a removed alien. According to the October 27, 2015 guilty plea, Rodriguez-Guarda had illegally re-entered the United States multiple times since 2009 after being removed. In June 2012, Rodriguez-Guarda was removed as an aggravated felon from the United States after being convicted of attempted human smuggling in Arizona in 2011.
Rodriguez-Guarda was arrested in Virginia on January 25, 2013, two days after he had kidnapped his girlfriend at knife point in Bossier Parish and took her to Virginia where he already had their 7-year-old daughter. The defendant pleaded guilty to simple kidnapping in Bossier Parish District Court on June 22, 2015.
Homeland Security Investigations-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Defendant sentenced to 13 months in prison for reentering the United States multiple times illegallyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Mexican national was sentenced Monday to 13 months in prison on one count of re-entry of a removed alien.
Saul Abundis Cordova, 39, of Ocampo, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of re-entry of a removed alien. According to evidence presented at the November 17, 2016, guilty plea, Shreveport Police arrested Cordova on January 15, 2015, for driving while intoxicated, and on July 22, 2015, he was convicted of driving while intoxicated for the fourth time. Cordova had been removed from the United States to Mexico on at least three previous occasions in 2008, 2009 and 2014. The removal on June 12, 2014, occurred after Cordova was convicted of felony possession of Schedule II controlled substances, cocaine, which resulted in a sentencing enhancement of a convicted felon.
Homeland Security Investigations-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Shreveport resident sentenced for failing to update his sex offender registrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Shreveport resident was sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to update his sex offender registration.
Kentrell Dionsal Debose, 27, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of failure to update his sex offender registration. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the December 2, 2015 guilty plea, Debose was convicted of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile in October of 2009 and registered as a sex offender in Caddo Parish that year. He moved to Texas in November of 2014. Debose was arrested on August 18, 2015 in Shreveport on a warrant from the Harrison County Texas Sheriff’s Office for violating terms of his sex offender registration. Harrison County Sheriff’s Office personnel found the address in Waskom, Texas, that Debose put on his sex offender registration to be vacant. Investigators also found Debose had been living in Shreveport from at least early July 2015 until his arrest in August 2015 without registering as a sex offender in the state of Louisiana.
The U.S. Marshal’s Service and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara is prosecuting the case.
Last methamphetamine distribution conspirator sentenced for conducting financial transactions related to drug dealsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that an Alexandria woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for accepting drug proceeds wired in her name and concealing the true owner of the money, convicted drug dealer Marcus Kirk.
Artlisha Morris, 32, of Alexandria, is the last of eight defendants to be sentenced for a conspiracy to distribute kilograms of methamphetamine in central Louisiana. Morris was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of money laundering. She was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine. According to the December 3, 2015 guilty plea, from April 2014 until November 2014, Morris and seven other defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine or aid in that conspiracy in the central Louisiana area. Morris’ role was to assist with money transfers and collect proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine.
The other seven defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The leader of this group, Marcus Wayne Kirk, 35, of Lecompte, La., was sentenced on October 13, 2015 to 190 months while his brother, Jase Kirk Jr., 38, of Baton Rouge, was sentenced to 150 months in prison. Other defendants were sentenced as follows: Demetrius Jacobs, 36, of Glenmora, La., and Taney Ray Taylor Jr., 36, of Alexandria, both sentenced on June 19, 2015 to 108 months and 100 months in prison respectively; Jerome Blue, 35, of Pineville, La., and Gerald Dwayne Sanders, 30, of Longleaf, La., both sentenced on December 17, 2015 to 165 months and 120 months in prison respectively; and Patrick Green, 33, of Pineville, was sentenced on January 22, 2016 to 151 month in prison. The defendants were also sentenced to three years of supervised release except for Jerome Blue, Jase Kirk and Marcus Kirk, who were ordered to serve five years.
The FBI’s Central Louisiana Safe Streets Gang Task Force conducted the investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI Baton Rouge Resident Agency assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Lafayette man pleads guilty to stealing nearly $1.5 million from disabled sisterRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lafayette man pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $1.5 million from an insurance settlement his sister received while she was incapacitated.
Kevin Ralph Andrus, 37, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of wire fraud. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Andrus, after being appointed as the curator for his sister’s estate when an automobile accident left her incapacitated and unable to manager her own affairs, stole $1,495,078 of settlement funds his sister received from a lawsuit related to her automobile accident. After partially recovering from her injuries, Andrus’ sister discovered that settlement funds had been transferred to the defendant’s own personal and business accounts even though he made an oath to spend the money only on approved expenses for the benefit of his sister.
Andrus faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Myers P. Namie and David C. Joseph are prosecuting the case.
Desoto Parish residents indicted for conspiring to distribute cocaineRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that seven DeSoto Parish residents were indicted for charges relating to the sale of crack and powder cocaine.
According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Tyquario Derell Adams, 25; Johnny Leroy Adams Jr., 26; Antonio Tawarn Robertson, 35; Makeith Ladale Robertson, 32; Terrance D. Woods, 41; Ashton Bernard Shelton, 25; and Amanda Marie Garner, 32, all of Mansfield, La., are charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in the Mansfield area from April 2015 to November of 2015. Counts two to four charge varying defendants with distribution of crack cocaine, and counts five to eight charge varying defendants with distribution of powder cocaine. Count Nine charges Johhny Adams with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. See the list below for charging details:
Counts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 T. Adams * * J. Adams * * * * * * A. Robertson * * * * * * * * M. Robertson * * Woods * * Shelton * * Garner * *The defendants face various possible penalties depending on the drug quantity involved, their role in the charged offense and their criminal histories.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Northwest Louisiana Violent Crimes Task Force and the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.
Buddhist monk pleads guilty to defrauding temple of more than $263,000Read the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lafayette Buddhist monk pleaded guilty to wrongfully taking more than $263,000 from his own temple.
Khang Nguyen Le, 36, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of wire fraud. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Le was the president, presiding monk and resident of the temple of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Southwest Louisiana located on Bourque Road in Lafayette from 2010 to October of 2014. From January of 2013 until August of 2014, Le wrongfully withdrew $263,463.36 in temple funds from the temple’s bank accounts to gamble at a Lake Charles casino. Le would drive to Lake Charles and withdraw the money from temple bank accounts using automated teller machines and casino tellers. To hide his gambling activity from temple members, Le would misrepresent the temple’s financial situation at meetings and gambled in lower-populated areas of the casino to avoid being seen. Le was at no time authorized by the temple to use its money for gambling purposes.
Le faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of June 27, 2016 was set.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Joseph and Myers P. Namie are prosecuting the case.
Former Morgan City Housing Authority director, employees arraigned on theft, conspiracy chargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that the former director of the Morgan City Housing Authority and two former employees were arraigned today on charges related to theft of half a million dollars.
Charles E. Spann, 78, of Kingsport, Tenn.; and Diana L. Pace, 64, and Sandra L. Green, 59, both of Morgan City, La.; pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst. The fourth defendant, Tori D. Johnson, 38, of Morgan City, is scheduled to be arraigned on March 31, 2016. The grand jury returned the 15-count indictment on February 18, 2016. Count One is conspiracy to defraud the United States, and counts two through 15 are theft of government money.
According to the indictment, Spann and three other Morgan City Housing Authority employees are alleged to have received more than $500,000 in bonus payments to which they were not entitled from 2007 to 2013.
If convicted, the defendants face five years in prison for the conspiracy count and 10 years in prison for each count of theft of government money. They also face three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Investigations, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Robert F. Moore are prosecuting the case.
Investigation leads to federal narcotics and firearms indictmentRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced the indictment of 11 Lafayette-area residents on charges for a variety of narcotics and firearms offenses.
Those named in the 23-count indictment unsealed February 22, 2016 are:
Carroll Griffin, 32, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of unlawful use of a communication facility, one count of maintaining a premises for the purpose of distribution of controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Joshua Griffin, 33, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, three counts of distribution of cocaine base, four counts of unlawful use of a communication facility, and one count of maintaining a premises for the purpose of distribution of controlled substances.
Alvontre Griffin, 19, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, four counts of unlawful use of a communication facility, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of maintaining a premises for the purpose of distribution of controlled substances.
Jeremy Tyler, 29, of Rayne, La., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.
Chester Tyler, 20, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.
Josh Tyler, 33, of Scott, La., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.
Nathan George, 34, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.
Ronnie Thomas, 35, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of unlawful use of a communication facility, and one count of distribution of cocaine base.
Ashton Ventroy, 26, of Lafayette, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful use of a communication facility.
London West, 25, of Duson, La., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, one count of unlawful use of a communication facility, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
Johnny Huntley, 21, of Duson, is charge with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
The defendants face various possible penalties depending on the drug quantity involved, their role in the charged offense, and their criminal histories.
The charges resulted from a long-term investigation coordinated by the FBI’s Lafayette Resident Agency Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The FBI, ATF, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Unit, Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Sheriff’s Office, St. Landry Sheriff’s Office, St. Mary Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana National Guard Counter Drug Unit participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert C. Abendroth and Kelly Uebinger are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Women sentenced for Natchitoches bank fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that two women were sentenced Tuesday for conspiring to steal money from the bank where they worked.
Deirdre Christophe Nelson, 36, of Natchez, La., and Valerie K. Culpepper, 36, of Natchitoches, La., were sentenced to 21 months and one month respectively by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. Nelson was sentenced on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Culpepper was sentenced on one count of conspiracy to make false statements in bank records. They were also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $355,649 in restitution. According to the guilty pleas, Nelson, who worked as a bank manager at a Natchitoches bank, conspired with Joe Lee Colbert Jr., 38, of Baton Rouge, to take more than $300,000 from 2011 until July of 2014 from the bank. Nelson would steal cash money and issue money orders from the bank to be deposited into Colbert’s account. Culpepper, the head bank teller, falsified bank records to hide money stolen during that time.
Colbert was sentenced on January 26, 2016 to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He must also share in the payment of restitution Nelson and Culpepper were ordered to pay. Nelson pleaded guilty on September 10, 2015, and Culpepper pleaded guilty on July 17, 2015.
The FBI and conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.
Lafayette man pleads guilty to drug smuggling using the Silk Road websiteRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette man pleaded guilty Wednesday to buying drugs overseas and shipping them to himself.
Michael Munro Jr., 37, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst to one count of smuggling controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV narcotics. The plea will become final when approved by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Munro was arrested in November of 2014 and July of 2015 for buying illegal narcotics online overseas and having them delivered to U.S. Post Offices and FedEx locations in Lafayette and surrounding areas. Munro told agents that in March of 2014 he began ordering pills via the internet using the Silk Road website. Munro admitted to ordering Xanax, Alprazolam and OxyContin at various times. He also stated that he would order 1,000 to 1,500 Xanax bars at a time and sell 3,000 OxyContin pills per week.
Munro faces 20 years for the smuggling count and five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute. He also faces three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date was not set.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Lafayette Metro Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and John Luke Walker are prosecuting the case.
Caddo Parish Commissioner Michael Williams found guilty of stealing from nonprofitRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal grand jury indicted Caddo Parish Commissioner Michael Dwayne Williams for defrauding the Caddo Parish Commission and stealing from a nonprofit meant to help at-risk youth.
Williams, 54, of Shreveport, was indicted on 12 counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that from October 1, 2012 through July 1, 2014, Williams devised a scheme to take more than $2,000 from a nonprofit’s bank account. Williams urged the parish commission to appropriate public funds for the nonprofit SWAG Nation. Once those funds were allocated from the parish’s budget to SWAG Nation, Williams caused a bank debit card to be issued for the nonprofit. Between April of 2013 and July of 2014, Williams used an ATM card to remove money on numerous occasions. According to the indictment, he took $100 to $200 each time that he made a withdrawal initializing 12 transactions from August 2013 to June 2014 for personal use. SWAG Nation’s declared purpose is to partner with local institutions to help mentor and counsel at-risk individuals ages 7 to 17 so that they can better function in society.
“The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated Michael Williams for several months and is pleased with the return of this indictment,” said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator. “Unfortunately, there are people elected to office who will abuse the public’s trust. This money was meant for children, not politicians.”
Williams faces up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count.
The FBI and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph G. Jarzabek and Brandon B. Brown are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sheriff and lieutenant colonel of New Iberia, Louisiana, charged in conspiracy to assault inmatesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff Louis Ackal and Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Savoy were charged today with civil rights violations arising out of the beatings of five pre-trial detainees at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ) on April 29, 2011. Ackal is charged with one count of conspiracy against rights and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, and Savoy is charged with one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
The indictment alleges that Ackal and Savoy conspired with each other and with other officers to assault five inmates, identified by the initials C.O., S.S., A.T., A.D. and H.G., and that members of the conspiracy failed to intervene and stop the assaults.
Eight former Iberia Parish Sheriff Office employees have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi of the Western District of Louisiana. The eight officers are former IPJ Warden Wesley Hayes, former IPJ Assistant Warden Jesse Hayes, former Lieutenant Bret Broussard of the Narcotics Unit, former narcotics agent Wade Bergeron, former narcotics agent Jason Comeaux, former narcotics agent David Hines, former narcotics agent Byron Benjamin Lassalle and former K-9 handler Robert Burns.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, Ackal and Savoy each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the civil rights violations, as well as a potential $250,000 fine for each count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Lafayette Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek of the Western District of Louisiana, Special Litigation Counsel Mark Blumberg and Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff and Lieutenant Colonel Charged in Conspiracy to Assault InmatesRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley of the Western District of Louisiana announced today that Iberia Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff Louis Ackal and Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Savoy were charged with civil rights violations arising out of the beatings of five pre-trial detainees at the Iberia Parish Jail (IPJ) on April 29, 2011. Ackal is charged with one count of conspiracy against rights and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, and Savoy is charged with one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
The indictment alleges that Ackal and Savoy conspired with each other and with other officers to assault five inmates, identified by the initials C.O., S.S., A.T., A.D. and H.G., and that members of the conspiracy failed to intervene and stop the assaults.
Eight former Iberia Parish Sheriff Office employees previously entered guilty pleas in related cases before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi of the Western District of Louisiana. The eight officers are former IPJ Warden Wesley Hayes, former IPJ Assistant Warden Jesse Hayes, former Lieutenant Bret Broussard of the Narcotics Unit, former narcotics agent Wade Bergeron, former narcotics agent Jason Comeaux, former narcotics agent David Hines, former narcotics agent Byron Benjamin Lassalle and former K-9 handler Robert Burns.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, Ackal and Savoy each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the civil rights violations, as well as a potential $250,000 fine for each count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Lafayette Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek of the Western District of Louisiana, Special Litigation Counsel Mark Blumberg and Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Ackal and Savoy Indictment
Monroe men sentenced to more than 12 years each in prison for roles in methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that two men from Monroe were each sentenced Tuesday to 151 months in prison for their roles in a methamphetamine conspiracy.
Vacarra Rogers, 35, and Kevin Honeycutt, 36, both of Monroe, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Honeycutt was also sentenced for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They were also sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Evidence admitted at a two-day trial ending on December 3, 2015, showed that Rogers was arrested on August 2, 2014, on Louisiana state charges related to illegal possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Co-defendant Kendra Turner, 25, of Monroe, was driving the car at the time of the arrest. During an October 8, 2014 visit to the jail, Turner was heard on recorded jailhouse calls talking to Rogers about her driving to Texas to obtain methamphetamine. Later that day, Turner, Rogers and Honeycutt further discussed the trip. Turner was arrested on October 10, 2014, on her way back from Texas. Honeycutt was then arrested and admitted to waiting for a delivery of methamphetamine from Turner. Honeycutt stated that he had obtained $5,000 from Ruby Jane McMillan, 29, of Farmerville, La., to purchase methamphetamine for her. Honeycutt set up a delivery of methamphetamine for McMillan, and she was later arrested.
“This sentence should send a message that trafficking drugs has serious consequences,” Finley stated. “We will continue to prosecute those who bring these dangerous drugs into our communities.”
Turner pleaded guilty on July 10, 2015, and McMillan pleaded guilty September 12, 2015, to one count each of conspiracy. Turner was sentenced to five years of supervised probation on January 4, 2016, and McMillan was sentenced on the same day to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case. The DEA and the Monroe Metro Narcotics Task Force investigated the case.
Leesville man pleads guilty to burglary on the Fort Polk military postRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Leesville resident pleaded guilty to burglarizing homes and a truck on the Fort Polk military installation.
Dakota Cole Yarbrough, 22, of Leesville, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to one count of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. According to the guilty plea, Yarbrough was driven to the outskirts of the Fort Polk base around 10 p.m., on August 5, 2015. He then illicitly crossed the fence onto the installation. Once on Fort Polk, he illegally entered two residences where families were sleeping and stole personal belongings from the homes. He also broke into and stole items from a pickup truck. The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office found many of the stolen items in Yarbrough’s residence after a search on August 10, 2015.
Yarbrough faces 12 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine. A sentencing date of June 9, 2016 was set.
The Fort Polk Directorate of Emergency Services and the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
Rwandan national sentenced to 70 months in prison for resisting deportation ordersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Rwandan national was sentenced Monday to 70 months in prison for refusing to leave the country after being ordered to depart.
Innocent Safari Nzamubereka, 38, of Rwanda, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on two counts of failure to depart for resisting removal after final deportation orders. According to evidence admitted at a two-day trial that ended on November 20, 2015, Nzamubereka refused to sign visa applications necessary for him to be sent back to the Republic of Rwanda where he had been ordered to return on March 12, 2013 and April 11, 2013.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard C. Parker and Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods grant announcementRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/MONROE/ALEXANRIA/LAKE CHARLES/LAFAYETTE, La.: United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Stephanie A. Finley and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force announced today that the Department of Justice, the Office of Justice Programs and the Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
PSN furthers the Department of Justice=s mission to reduce violent crime by providing support to state, local and tribal efforts to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in gang violence and violent crimes committed with firearms. Contingent on the availability of funds, grant awards totaling $300,000 are possible in the Western District of Louisiana to fund new and current comprehensive gun crime reduction and gang violence reduction strategies. The application for this fiscal year 2016 (FY2016) PSN grant must be submitted to and received by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lafayette before noon on April 5, 2016.
Various types of single or multi‑grantee grant applications are welcome including those that address the following:
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Gang violence and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
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Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
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Prisoner reentry programs; or
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Other innovative related projects.
The FY2016 PSN Competitive Grant Announcement, BJA-2016-9342, can be found at www.bja.gov/funding/PSN16.pdf. For the announcement or more information on the PSN program visit the U.S. Attorney’s Office website at www.justice.gov/usao/law/ and www.justice.gov/usao/law/psn.html or at www.psn.gov or www.bja.gov/programs/psn.
More information about the FY2016 PSN grant announcement and the PSN program can also be found by contacting Assistant U.S. Attorney and PSN and Anti-Gang Coordinator Robert W. Gillespie Jr. at (318) 676-3600.
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Lafayette felon sentenced to 42 months in prison for possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette man was sentenced Thursday to 42 months in prison for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
Jarrod Ty Foxworthy, 29, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. According to the November 24, 2015 guilty plea, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office dispatched a deputy to investigate a complaint on April 2, 2013. Someone matching Foxworthy’s description was seen firing a weapon in the front yard of a home on Nyoka Circle in Lafayette during a verbal altercation with the owner of the home. When Foxworthy arrived to be interviewed by the responding deputy, he was carrying a black Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and was taken into custody.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.
The ATF and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
Former Haughton bank employee sentenced for embezzling $1.7 millionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Haughton bank employee was sentenced Thursday to 42 months in prison for embezzling more than $1.7 million from the bank where he worked.
Jim Scott, 65, of Haughton, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of embezzlement. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,794,156.20 restitution. According to evidence presented at the August 7, 2015 guilty plea, Scott embezzled funds from 2000 to 2014 while employed as vice president of operations at Tri-State Bank and Trust in Haughton. The defendant had moved bank-controlled funds from the bank’s general fund to his personal checking account and savings accounts located at the same bank, which caused a $1,794,156.20 loss to the bank.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
New Orleans man pleads guilty to possessing fake credit/debit cardsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a New Orleans man pleaded guilty to possessing dozens of fake credit and debit cards.
Terrance Milton, 23, of New Orleans, La., gave a conditional guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. The plea will become final when accepted by Judge Patricia Minaldi. According to the guilty plea, Milton was traveling with the driver of a vehicle May 15, 2014 on Interstate 10 eastbound in Calcasieu Parish when the vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The law enforcement officer found 36 credit/debit cards on Milton’s person. The defendant also possessed a fake driver’s license matching the fictitious name printed on the credit/debit cards.
Milton faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of June 2, 2016 was set.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
Lufkin, Texas, man pleads guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lufkin, Texas, man pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine.
Laraymeon Jevon Watson, 21, of Lufkin, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to the guilty plea, Watson received cocaine powder and Ecstasy pills from a supplier in Texas. When his vehicle was stopped on June 24, 2015 near Greenwood, La., for a traffic violation, approximately 8 ounces of cocaine powder and more than 3,000 Ecstasy pills were found. He later admitted he planned to sell the drugs.
Watson faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $1 million fine and restitution. A sentencing date of June 1, 2016 was set.
The defendant was arrested as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation “River City Blues.” The DEA, the Louisiana State Police, and the Lufkin Police Department investigated the case. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources, and disrupting and dismantling of major drug trafficking organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Former Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office employee pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a former employee of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office pleaded guilty to his role in an inmate beating at the Iberia Parish Jail.
Jesse James Hayes, 36, of St. Martinville, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to one count of deprivation of civil rights.
Hayes faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek, and Special Litigation Counsel Mark Blumberg and Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
5 Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office employees plead guiltyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Stephanie A. Finley announced today that three former and two current employees of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office pleaded guilty to their roles in beating inmates at the Iberia Parish Jail.
Those pleading guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi today to one count of deprivation of civil rights are: Robert E. Burns, 46, Youngsville, La.; Byron Benjamin Lassalle, 34, Erath, La.; Wade Bergeron, 40, Milton, La.; Bret Klein Broussard, 35, Broussard, La.; and Wesley Hayes, 36, St. Martinville, La. Additionally, Lassalle and Hayes pleaded guilty to one count of civil rights conspiracy. Lassalle and Broussard are currently employed by the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office. The other three defendants no longer work there.
Each of the defendants, except Burns, faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Burns faces one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. They all face three years of supervised release.
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek, and Special Litigation Counsel Mark Blumberg and Trial Attorney Tona Boyd of the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
Jury convicts former Lafayette postal service employee for stealing from U.S. mailRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that, after a one-day trial, a federal jury found a Lafayette woman guilty of stealing from U.S. mail.
After deliberating for 17 minutes, a federal jury found Cate A. Plauche, 49, of Lafayette, guilty on 11 counts of theft of mail. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter presided over the trial. Plauche stole hundreds of dollars from mail in April of 2015 while employed as a mail carrier at a Lafayette Post Office.
Plauche faces five years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine for each count. The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Rossetti and John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
Richard Johnson sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for filing a false tax returnRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that Richard Z. Johnson Jr. was sentenced Wednesday to 12 months and one day in prison for filing a false federal income tax return.
Johnson, 59, of Mansfield, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on a one-count bill of information charging him with making or subscribing a false tax return. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $275,184 in total restitution of his back taxes. According to the September 21, 2015 guilty plea, Johnson reported a total income of $126,197 on his 2011 U.S. individual tax return but willfully failed to report additional income in the amount of $78,717.
The prison sentence was based on a tax loss of approximately $107,000 attributable to criminal violations of federal tax laws. The plea agreement covers full restitution of all delinquent back taxes, including interest and penalties.
“Mr. Johnson filed a false tax return where he willfully failed to report a significant portion of his income,” Ms. Finley stated. “Filing false returns is a serious crime, and my office will continue to identify and prosecute those who violate our tax laws.”
“The filing and timely payment of income tax returns is an obligation that all Americans should take seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Jerome R. McDuffie. “Mr. Johnson is an attorney, a long-time prosecutor, and was well aware of these requirements. One of the responsibilities of citizenship is to abide by our nation’s tax laws. Our agency will continue to work with the United States Attorney’s Office to aggressively investigate allegations of tax crimes and prosecute those who fail to file returns and pay their fair share. Today’s sentence is a reminder that no one is above the law.”
The IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Flanagan and Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Convicted felon sentenced for possessing “zip” guns and ammunitionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Bossier City man was sentenced Wednesday to 77 months in prison for illegally possessing ammunition.
Sidney Joseph Patterson, 45, of Bossier City, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release. According to the October 1, 2015 guilty plea, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the January 9, 2015 discharge of a homemade “zip gun” firearm at Patterson’s residence, which wounded Patterson in the back. Found at the residence was the discharged zip gun and three other zip guns loaded with two rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition and one round of .380 caliber ammunition. Prior to this offense, Patterson had other felony drug convictions.
A “zip gun” is an improvised firearm not manufactured by a firearms manufacturer or gunsmith, ranging in quality from crude weapons that are as much a danger to the user as the target, to high-quality arms.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm and to promote firearm safety.
The ATF and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. prosecuted the case.
Armed career offender sentenced to more than 20 years in prison on firearms and drug chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced Tuesday to 248 months in prison as an Armed Career Offender for firearms and drug charges.
Jeffery Lynn Alexander, 44, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense. He was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release. According to the September 14, 2015 guilty plea, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled sale of cocaine at a Shreveport hotel in October of 2014. Alexander was recorded participating in the purchase of approximately 8 ounces of cocaine, while armed with a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun. While executing a warrant at Alexander’s home on April 15, 2015, law enforcement agents found Alexander in possession of a loaded 9 mm pistol, cocaine, methamphetamine and cash. Alexander has a prior conviction for possession of cocaine in 2003 and multiple felony drug trafficking convictions in 1998, 2005 and 2010. He was sentenced as an Armed Career Offender. The mandatory minimum sentence for an Armed Career Offender is 15 years in prison.
To be found an Armed Career Offender under federal law, a defendant must have three previous convictions that are either a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both, committed on occasions different from one another. A serious drug offense can be an offense under federal or state law if it involves the manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance for which a maximum term of 10 years or more in prison is prescribed by law.
“This defendant had multiple felony convictions and was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm; yet, he not only continued to possess firearms, but also continued to engage in illegal drug offenses,” Finley stated. “The safety and security of the community is our highest priority.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.
The ATF, Shreveport Police Department and Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. prosecuted the case.
Convicted felon sentenced to 39 months in prison for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Shreveport man was sentenced to 39 months in prison for possessing a shotgun after he was previously convicted of a felony.
Jonathan Paul Bailey, 37, of Shreveport, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the July 22, 2015 guilty plea, agents with Louisiana Probation and Parole were attempting to execute an arrest warrant for another person at Bailey’s residence in Shreveport on March 24, 2015. Agents found a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun and shells that belonged to Bailey. It was unlawful for Bailey to possess the firearm and ammunition because of his conviction in June of 2000 in the First Judicial District Court in Caddo Parish for armed robbery in which a shotgun was used to rob three people in a restaurant.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm and to promote firearm safety.
The ATF and Louisiana Probation and Parole investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie prosecuted the case.