New Orleans Man Sentenced To 37 Months Imprisonment for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

NEW ORLEANS -  U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that ELTON JOHNSON, (“JOHNSON”), age 35, of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 14, 2020 to 37 months imprisonment by the Honorable Jay C. Zainey for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).  Also, JOHNSON was ordered by the Court to serve three (3) years of supervised release and pay a $100.00 special assessment fee.

According to court documents, on June 27, 2018, Louisiana State Troopers conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Downman and Dwyer Rds.  One Trooper observed that the vehicle, a 2008 gray Saturn sedan, had a tinted rectangular cover over the temporary license plate and could not see the temporary license plate’s information.  The Troopers stopped the sedan at a local gas station.    JOHNSON exited the gray sedan from the front passenger side.  A Trooper instructed JOHNSON to approach them but he walked away from the sedan.  After a second command, JOHNSON complied.

As JOHNSON walked closer to the Troopers, they smelled marijuana and JOHNSON was observed with a hand rolled cigar in his right hand.  The Troopers suspected that the cigar contained marijuana and was the source of the marijuana odor.

The sedan was searched incidental to JOHNSON’s arrest and law enforcement located a loaded Taurus Model PT-709 SLIM, serial no. FTS32722 on the front passenger side of the center console.  JOHNSON later confessed at the scene that he possessed the firearm for protection.  Due to his status as a federally convicted felon, the law prohibits JOHNSON from possessing firearms.

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 matter was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Louisiana State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans prosecuted the case.