New Orleans Couple Sentenced for Firearms Offenses

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRANDON SMITH, age 30, and CHELSIE WILLIAMS, age 24, residents of New Orleans, were sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer.

U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced SMITH to a term of imprisonment of 42 months, 3 years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. WILLIAMS was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 36 months, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.

According to court documents, in April 2016, SMITH and WILLIAMS obtained two firearms. SMITH and WILLIAMS later pawned one of the firearms. In September 2016, they returned to the pawn shop and attempted to redeem the weapon. WILLIAMS, acting in concert with SMITH, falsely stated that she was the actual buyer/transferee for the firearm and that she was not a convicted felon.

U. S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan McLaren was in charge of the prosecution.