New Orleans Man Pleads To Violations of Federal Gun Control Act

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that BRIAN STEPHENS, age 35, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on October 8, 2019 to possessing firearms after felony convictions. 

According to court documents, STEPHENS, a convicted felon, possessed firearms on three instances after being convicted of a felony.   On July 16, 2017, STEPHENS was stopped in a vehicle in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.  On October 3, 2018, STEPHENS discarded a stolen firearm during a foot chase with police officers.  On December 20, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at STEPHENS’ home in Metairie and located two firearms, one of which was stolen.

Court documents indicate that, if the District Court finds that STEPHENS’ prior convictions satisfy the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 United States Code, 924(e), he faces a term of imprisonment of 15 years to life, a fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.  If STEPHENS is not sentenced under this statute, he faces a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.  U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter set sentencing for STEPHENS for January 7, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.

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.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.

                                                                    *      *      *