Morgani Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Gun Control Act

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL MORGANI, age 32, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on January 29, 2020 to being a felon in possession of a firearm before United States District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.

According to court paperwork, MORGANI purchased two Extar semi-automatic pistols from an individual who he met on the Northshore.  MORGANI brought them to a body shop in New Orleans, where they were later recovered by the New Orleans Police Department during the execution of a search warrant.  MORGANI was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction from Jefferson Parish for possession of heroin.

MORGANI faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment on the gun charge.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (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.

This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.