MICHAEL HOOKER SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL GUN CHARGES
MICHAEL HOOKER, age 33, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday to seventy (70) months of incarceration by U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon after pleading guilty to four federal felonies relating to attempting to purchase a firearm and ammunition at a local gun, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2011, HOOKER conspired with another person to conduct a “straw purchase” of a Draco pistol from the Pontchartrain Gun Show in Kenner, Louisiana. HOOKER’s co-conspirator accepted money to pretend to be the actual purchaser of the firearm, when in fact, it was being purchased by HOOKER. HOOKER then also purchased ammunition and later took possession of the said firearm as he and the co-conspirator left the gun show.
HOOKER had two prior felony convictions: a conviction on October 21, 2002 in Orleans Parish Criminal Court, State of Louisiana, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine (crack); and on October 21, 2002 in Orleans Parish Criminal Court, State of Louisiana, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine (crack). As such, HOOKER is prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
HOOKER received 60 months for Count 1, a conspiracy to illegally purchase the Draco firearm and 70 months (each) for Count 2, the making of false statements to a federally licenced firearm dealer in order to obtain a firearm, and Counts 4 and 6, which both relate to the possession of the firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon, with all of the time to run concurrently. In addition, HOOKER is facing three (3) years of supervised release following incarceration and must pay $400 to the Court as a special assessment.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Kenner Police Department was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Violent Crime Unit.
