NEW ORLEANS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO COUNTERFEIT AND FIREARM CHARGES
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN, age 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Judge Martin L.Feldman to making and possessing counterfeit checks and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, ALLEN was involved in the production and cashing of counterfeit payroll checks at Wal-Mart stores. These counterfeit checks were made to look as though they were from real organizations and companies. ALLEN was arrested at his home, where agents recovered eight firearms, ammunition, counterfeit checks and identifications, and equipment used to produce the counterfeit checks and identifications. On June 24, 2010, ALLEN was convicted of tampering with physical evidence in Gonzales County, Texas and based on this conviction, the defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
ALLEN faces a possible maximum term of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment as to each count. Sentencing is set for February 11, 2011.
The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the U. S. Secret Service Financial Crimes Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Loan “Mimi” Nguyen.
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