Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tennessee Man for Possession of a Machinegun

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEATON MANGHANE, age 24, a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was charged on March 10, 2023 in a sealed one-count indictment for possession of a machinegun. The indictment was unsealed on March 28, 2023.

If convicted, MANGHANE faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.