A New Orleans man, Raymond Brown, aged 41, has been given a 37-month jail term for illegal possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans reports. The sentence, passed down by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, includes three years of supervised release post-imprisonment and an obligatory special assessment fee of $100. This information comes per an official announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Documents from the court detail incidents leading up to Brown's arrest. In April 2023, the New Orleans Police Department was dispatched to the area beneath the I-10 overpass following reports of armed individuals. Upon arrival, officers spotted Brown, clad in a black sweatshirt and camouflage pants, brandishing a rifle. Brown fled upon noticing the police, discarding the rifle as he ran through a backyard on Touro Street, before the police apprehended him. His guilty plea led to the aforementioned sentence, as described by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case against Brown is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a key program designed to unite law enforcement across all levels with communities to curtail violent crime and gun violence. The broader aim is to foster safer neighborhoods for all. In May of 2021, the Department of Justice energized this initiative by integrating strategies to build trust and legitimacy within communities, support for local organizations aiming to prevent violence, and enforcement priorities that are both focused and strategic.
Investigation of the case was coordinated between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department, while Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit assumed prosecution responsibilities. This collaborative law enforcement effort underscores a continued commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods and highlights the targeted approach towards mitigating the threat of violent crime in New Orleans, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office report.
