Press Releases
NEW ORLEANS MAN SENTENCED TO 120 MONTHS FOR FEDERAL DRUG AND GUN VIOLATIONS
April 30, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WILLIE A. CARTER, age 28, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge, Sarah S. Vance to one hundred twenty (120) months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment Judge Vance imposed three (3) years of supervised release as to count one and eight (8) years of supervised release as to count two to run concurrently following the term of imprisonment. During the eight year term the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of supervised release.
CARTER on November 7, 2007, entered a plea of guilty to the two count indictment charging him with violating the federal controlled substances act and the federal gun control act. The gun control act in, 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1) prohibits a person having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year from knowingly possessing any firearm. The controlled substances act prohibits the possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”). CARTER admitted that he illegally possessed multiple firearms on August 1, 2007, when New Orleans Police Department officers were executing a search warrant at the residence of CARTER, 1732 Elysian Fields. CARTER was located with three firearms in his possession. Additionally, officers located approximately 15.5 grams of cocaine base “crack” and over $5,000 in cash. Samuel Carter was found possessing a firearm and plead guilty to felony gun possession in a separate case. He was sentenced to forty (40) months on March 12, 2008 and is currently serving his sentence.
The investigation determined that CARTER had multiple prior felony convictions. Based on the investigation, CARTER was taken into federal custody based on a federal complaint filed against CARTER on August 3, 2007. CARTER was ordered detained without bond at a federal detention hearing.
United States Attorney Jim Letten commended the Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol and Firearms and the New Orleans Police Officers involved in the arrest for their work in obtaining this conviction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tony Gordon Sanders.
After sentencing, CARTER was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service to immediately begin his term of imprisonment.
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