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Press Release

Shreveport man pleads guilty to possessing pistol, ammunition

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Mark Anthony Crawford, 27, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to possessing a pistol loaded with 31 bullets. 

According to the guilty plea, Shreveport police learned through a Crime Stoppers tip that Crawford was at a residence on Algonquin Trail, armed with several weapons and in possession of narcotics.  After arriving at the residence, the officers found a Romarm/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62 caliber pistol under a bed loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition.  Crawford admitted to police officers that he had purchased the firearm off the streets, and knew that as a convicted felon, he was restricted from possessing a firearm.  Crawford pleaded guilty to aggravated flight from an officer on November 8, 2010.  Under federal law, felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.

Crawford faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  Judge Hicks set the sentencing date for August 29, 2019. 

The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting 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 lasting reductions in crime.

Updated May 22, 2019

Topics
Firearms Offenses
Project Safe Neighborhoods