Slidell Man Indicted for Federal Gun and Drug Offenses and Possession of Stolen Vehicle

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MERVYN LUCAS, age 28, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was charged on May 19, 2023 in a four-count indictment for violating the Federal Gun Control Act, the Federal Controlled Substances Act, and possessing goods stolen from an interstate shipment, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. The indictment was unsealed on July 21, 2023.

LUCAS is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D). He is charged in Count 2 with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). He is charged in Count 3 with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). He is charged in Count 4 with possession of a vehicle stolen from an interstate shipment, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 659.

If convicted of Count 1, LUCAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least two years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 4, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.