LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that two Lake Charles felons were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for illegal possession of a firearm.

 

Lake Charles felon sentenced to 48 months in prison for possessing handgun

Keelan Broussard, 27, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing a handgun.  The Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on May 23, 2018 at Broussard’s home, and found a Taurus .38 Special handgun, ammunition, approximately $2,400 in cash, marijuana and cocaine in Broussard’s bedroom.  Broussard is a felon who has been convicted of drug and firearms related charges.  Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.  Broussard admitted that he owned the firearm at his guilty plea in federal court on December 14, 2018.

The ATF and the Calcasieu Combined Anti-drug Task Force conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.

 

Lake Charles felon sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a rifle

            Forrest Cecil Coker II, 33, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a stolen rifle.  Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrived on April 21, 2018 at a home on Laurel Avenue in Calcasieu Parish searching for an individual with pending felony warrants.  When officers approached the home, Coker came out to meet them, and stated he needed to step back inside the residence to subdue an aggressive dog.  Upon his return, officers received permission to enter and search the residence.  During the search, they found a DPMS Model AR-10, .308-caliber rifle that was reported stolen, a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, four suspected Alprazolam pills and two suspected Citalopram pills, along with marijuana pipes, a methamphetamine pipe, marijuana grinders and an electric scale. 

Under federal law, Coker is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon.  Coker was previously convicted on four separate occasions in the State of Louisiana's 14th Judicial District Court for simple burglary and illegal use of a weapon.  He pleaded guilty in federal court on December 17, 2018.

The ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.

Both cases were prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for reductions in crime.

SHREVEPORT/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that three felons pleaded guilty last week for possession of firearms.

 

Shreveport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Semi-Automatic Pistol

            SHREVEPORT - Dennis Lee Richardson, 29, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty on December 11, 2018 before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on June 29, 2018 at a Prentiss Street residence.  As agents approached the home, they saw Richardson and his girlfriend sitting in a parked car in the driveway.  The agents also observed a loaded Glock semi-automatic pistol with an extended clip on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat.  Richardson said his mother had purchased the firearm for him.  He is a convicted felon who pleaded guilty on March 10, 2014 in Caddo Parish for attempted illegal carrying of weapons while in possession of controlled dangerous substances.

Richardson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for February 28, 2019.

The ATF and the Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Earl M. Campbell are prosecuting the case.

 

Alexandria Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Pistol

            ALEXANDRIA - Theodore Hines, 37, of Alexandria, pleaded guilty on December 11, 2018 before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  According to the guilty plea, an Alexandria Police officer observed Hines on June 26, 2018 remove a pistol from his pocket and throw it to the ground.  Hines told the police officer that he had the pistol to protect himself.  After learning that Hines had five previous felonies and was not allowed to possess a firearm, the officer arrested Hines and took possession of the firearm, a loaded Kel-Tec .380-caliber pistol.  

Hines was convicted in February of 2001 of possession of a Schedule IV controlled dangerous substance; he was convicted in December of 2003 of one count of possession of a Schedule V controlled dangerous substance, one count of possession of marijuana and one count of possession of a Schedule V controlled dangerous substance; and he was convicted in February of 2014 of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance.

Hines faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for March 7, 2019.

The ATF and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cadesby Cooper is prosecuting the case.

 

Lake Charles Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Handgun

LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Keelan Arnold Broussard, 27, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty on Friday before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Broussard’s home on May 23, 2018 and discovered a Taurus .38 Special handgun, and two .38 caliber rounds in Broussard’s bedroom.  Broussard admitted that he owned the firearm.

At the time of his arrest, Broussard had a criminal history dating back to January 5, 2011, including previous convictions in the 14th Judicial District Court for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of cocaine, and attempted possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.  As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Broussard faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  The court set the sentencing date for March 25, 2019. 

The ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office along with the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.

Each case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime.