Lafayette man sentenced to 55 months in prison for possessing stolen firearms

ALEXANDRAI, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette man was sentenced Wednesday to 55 months in prison for possessing two stolen pistols.

James Martin Jr., 21, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of possession of stolen firearms. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the May 23, 2016 guilty plea, Lafayette Police responded to reports of gunfire at the 200 block of East Clinton Street. After arriving at the scene, an officer saw Martin holding a firearm. When told to drop the weapon, Martin instead pointed it at the officer. The officer fired twice at Martin hitting him once in the shoulder. Martin fled the scene dropping one of the guns. He was later found in possession of a second firearm. He admitted they were both stolen. The two recovered pistols were a Sig Sauer, model P220, .45 caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer, model P224, .40 caliber pistol.

This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.

The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic Rossetti and Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.