Three felons sentenced for federal firearms violations in Northeast Louisiana

MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. sentenced three felons Wednesday on various firearms related charges who were prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhood program.

Mississippi felon sentenced to 96 months in prison for possessing rifle in car after Delhi traffic stop

Terrance Deon Jordan, 35, of Terry, Mississippi, was sentenced to eight years in prison on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the April 25, 2018 guilty plea, a Louisiana State Police trooper pulled over Jordan’s vehicle on June 2, 2017 in Dehli, Louisiana, for driving 104 miles per hour in a 70-mile-an-hour zone. The trooper saw a rifle with a shortened stock in the driver’s seat next to Jordan’s right leg when he approached the vehicle. The firearm was later identified as a Norinco .223-caliber rifle. Ammunition was also found. Jordan is a felon who was convicted in Mississippi on multiple charges. The ATF and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Crawford prosecuted the case.

Monroe felon sentenced to 78 months in prison for possessing pistol

Daryl Nelson, 47, of Monroe, was sentenced to six and one-half years in prison on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the May 3, 2018 guilty plea, Monroe police executed a search warrant on March 28, 2017, and found Nelson alone in bed with a loaded Ruger, Model P85, 9 mm pistol. The firearm belonged to Nelson, and he has been convicted of multiple felonies. During the same search, officers found a loaded Glock, model 26, 9 mm pistol that belonged to codefendant Santron Jones, 33, of Monroe. Jones has been previously convicted of two drug felonies and is not allowed to possess a handgun. Jones pleaded guilty February 15, 2018, to the firearms count and was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release on June 13, 2018. The ATF and Monroe Metro Narcotics conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.

Grayson man sentenced to 36 months in prison for illegally making, selling silencers

Dustin B. Demoss, 32, of Grayson, Louisiana, was sentenced to three years in prison by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of illegally selling and manufacturing firearm silencers. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the September 7, 2016 guilty plea, the ATF conducted a controlled purchase of three firearm silencers in May 2016 from a target who later identified Demoss as the manufacturer of the silencers. Demoss sold the silencers from a Facebook site called “Angel of Death Tactical,” which was not licensed under federal law. A search was conducted at Demoss’ residence on May 19, 2016.  Several firearms were seized with silencers attached, as well as assorted silencer parts with drilled baffles and end caps, other assorted parts for making silencers, and boxes of parts showing mailing information that they were imported from India. Demoss also had drill presses used to complete the manufacture of silencers. The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Crawford prosecuted the case.

These cases were 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 safer 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 Sessions 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.