NEW ORLEANS MAN SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR WEAPONS VIOLATION
JOSHUA D. CRAWFORD, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today in federal court by U. S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to sixty (60) months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in New Orleans, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Barbier ordered that CRAWFORD be placed on three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
According to court documents, CRAWFORD pled guilty on February 11, 2010, admitting that when he was approached by NOPD officers, he attempted to flee and was apprehended by officers as he was trying to scale a nearby fence. Subsequent investigation revealed that CRAWFORD was in possession of a loaded .45 caliber Taurus Millenium semi-automatic pistol. Further investigation also revealed that CRAWFORD was previously convicted in Orleans Parish of felony distribution of marijuana in July, 2002.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the New Orleans Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the Violent Crime Unit.
