Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Gun Offense

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that BERNARD BAKER, an Orleans Parish resident, pled guilty as charged on February 18, 2020 to a one-count indictment for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).

At sentencing, BAKER faces up to a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone.  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Bücher of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.