Bossier City man pleads guilty to damaging Air Force property with vehicle

SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Bossier City man pleaded guilty Wednesday to driving a vehicle onto Barksdale Air Force Base and damaging property.

Jeffery Jermaine Francis, 33, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of willful damage to property of the United States. According to the guilty plea, Francis was driving a green 2003 GMC Yukon on August 20, 2017 and struck a bollard at the West Gate of Barksdale Air Force Base. When approached and asked to place the vehicle in park, Francis instead drove onto the base.  Barksdale security forces had to deploy a vehicle entrapment barrier on Barksdale Boulevard, which disabled the vehicle. He then fled the scene on foot. Security forces later discovered that the vehicle belonged to Francis’s girlfriend, and that he was driving under suspension. The estimated cost of damage to the vehicle and Barksdale property was $17,600.

Francis faces up to 10 years in prison, three years to life of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The court set a February 1, 2018 sentencing date.

United States Air Force Police Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.