Two felons plead guilty, one sentenced for possessing firearms

LAKE CHARLES/SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that two felons pleaded guilty and one was sentenced for possession of firearms.

Starks man pleads guilty to possessing three firearms 

Ronald Joseph Guillory, 44, of Starks, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.  The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter.  According to the guilty plea, when Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s officers responded to a disturbance on April 6, 2018 at a home near Vinton, Louisiana, they found Guillory sitting inside of his truck in the driveway.  After the officers approached the vehicle, they noticed drug paraphernalia and arrested Guillory.  They found a Stevens .16-gauge single-shot shotgun, a Marlin .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, a Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition on the back seat.  Guillory admitted to the officers he was in possession of the weapons.  Guillory was convicted in February of 2007 of simple burglary, which is a felony.

Guillory faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for March 25, 2019. The ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger is prosecuting the case. 

Felon from Plain Dealing pleads guilty to possessing shotgun

Johann Gary Barnes, 47, of Plain Dealing, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to the guilty plea, Benton police pulled over Barnes’ pickup truck on January 29, 2018.  During a search of the truck, officers noticed a small amount of marijuana in the center console and found a loaded sawed-off shotgun at the foot of the driver’s seat.  Barnes was convicted on March 1, 2004 in Caddo Parish for possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I drug, and was also convicted on September 27, 2005 for possession of a firearm by a felon. 

Barnes faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for February 28, 2019. The ATF and the Benton Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.

New Iberia felon sentenced for possessing firearm purchased at Lafayette store, later used in video

Jaymie Williams, 22, of New Iberia, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Foote 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 August 22, 2018 guilty plea, Williams was present when a Century Arms, Model RAS47 firearm was purchased on March 11, 2018 at a sporting goods store in Lafayette.  After the firearm was purchased, Williams possessed it on numerous occasions and featured it in one of his music videos entitled “BG Flow.”  In the video, Williams handled the firearm in many scenes, and confirmed that the firearm in the video was the actual RAS47 and not a prop.  He also possessed the firearm on April 18, 2018 when he entered a Lafayette gun shop with the firearm in his hands.  Williams was convicted of a felony in 2017 that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.

Thes 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.   The Justice Department 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, PSN was reinvigorated and all U.S. Attorney’s Offices were directed to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.