Shreveport felon sentenced to 106 months in prison for drug, firearm charges

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Ellis Harp III, 44, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to eight years and 10 months in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of two firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Foote also sentenced Harp to five years of supervised release. 

Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on February 26, 2016 at Harp’s Earl Street residence in Shreveport and found 137.080 grams of powder cocaine, three sets of digital scales, a Ruger, model Super Blackhawk .44-caliber revolver and an Olympic Arms Inc. SGW & Safari Arms AR-15 in a shed on his property.  Harp admitted to possessing the items located in the shed and admitted that he knew he was not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon.  He was convicted in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana on September 16, 2010 for possession of a firearm by a felon.  Harp pleaded guilty on November 29, 2018 for the current charges.

The ATF, DEA, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  Project Safe Neighborhoods 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 reductions in crime.