Alphonse Bazile, 78, and Rayshaud Green, 35, both residents of New Orleans, have been handed a 15-year prison sentence following firearms offenses, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The sentencing took place on September 18, 2024, with U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk also ordering three years of supervised release and the payment of a $100 special assessment fee after their guilty pleas.
These convictions stem from an incident that occurred at Bazile's residence near Curran Boulevard and Haney Drive in New Orleans, where a shooting took place involving the two men and a group of juveniles, the details of which were laid out in court documents; this altercation followed a previous fight between the juveniles. Bazile and Green confronted the group, which then escalated when they armed themselves and fired at the juveniles, resulting in one fatality. In a subsequent search of Green's bedroom on September 8, 2022, law enforcement discovered the firearm he used during the shooting.
Regarding the specific charges, Bazile was indicted on the count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, while Green faced the same charge in addition to being in possession of a machine gun—both charges being serious violations of the federal law, as mentioned by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national initiative that brings various levels of law enforcement together with the community to target violent crime and gun violence, aiming to improve neighborhood safety, in line with a strategy unveiled on May 26, 2021, which emphasizes fostering trust within communities, supporting violence-prevention organizations, setting enforcement priorities and evaluating outcomes. Leading the investigation were the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handling the prosecution.
