LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Darrien Lamont Rogers, 23, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. for hiding his criminal background on gun purchase paperwork. 

According to the guilty plea, Rogers attempted to purchase a Taurus, Model PT 111, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on March 4, 2019, at a pawn shop in Lake Charles.  He lied on an ATF Form 4473 by indicating that he had no felony convictions.  Rogers pleaded guilty to one count of simple burglary on September 27, 2018, in the 14th Judicial District Court.  Because of the conviction, Rogers is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm.

Rogers faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for November 14 2019. 

The ATF conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) 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 lasting reductions in crime.