Shreveport felon pleads guilty to possessing pistol

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Shreveport felon pleaded guilty to possessing a pistol even though he was a convicted felon.

Jamario Montreal Harris, 31, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents found Harris in possession of a .40 caliber Glock pistol on March 20, 2017. He was previously convicted of a felony and not allowed to possess a firearm.

Harris faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of April 2, 2018.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.