Shreveport man pleads guilty to drug and firearm charges

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty last week to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Latrenton D. Washington, 28, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the guilty plea, while executing a warrant for another defendant at Washington’s residence on August 12, 2014, Shreveport police and Louisiana Probation and Parole agents discovered marijuana, scales and packaging items along with a loaded Romarm WASR-10 semi-automatic rifle with a drum magazine holding 65 rounds of 7.62x39 mm ammunition and a loaded Taurus .45 caliber pistol in Washington’s bedroom.

Washington faces up to five years in prison on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count and an additional mandatory sentence of five years to life in prison for the possession of a firearm in the furtherance of the drug trafficking count.  The five year sentence for the firearm is mandatory and runs consecutive to his sentence on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count.  Additionally, he faces five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. A sentencing date of August 4, 2016 was set.

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, Louisiana State Probation and Parole, and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.