Press Releases
NEW ORLEANS MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT TO WEAPONS CHARGE
July 1, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RONALD MITCHELL, age 30, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt to one felony count of illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, MITCHELL, along with his co-defendant John Delco, sold a Norinko SKS .762 caliber rifle containing five live rounds to undercover agents in Orleans Parish in September 2008. MITCHELL was prohibited from possessing any firearms due to sustaining a prior felony conviction in December 1999 in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for Attempted Possession of Heroin and Attempted Possession of Cocaine. Co-defendant Delco pled guilty in June, 2009.
MITCHELL faces a possible maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of $250,000.00 and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is set for October 7, 2009.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Rick Veters of the Violent Crime Unit.
)
