Violet, Louisiana Man Receives 5-Year Sentence for Gun Possession in Drug Trafficking Case

A 26-year-old man from Violet, Louisiana was handed a 60-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm to further drug trafficking efforts, a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office confirms. Mali Williams, the individual in question, will also face three years of supervised release and is obligated to pay a $100 special assessment fee. The U.S. Attorney's Office reported that the sentence was delivered last Tuesday, Oct 15 by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey.

Court documents show that on October 12, 2023, Williams was spotted by New Orleans Police selling marijuana in the Central Business District. In his attempted escape from law enforcement, Williams dropped a backpack containing marijuana and tapentadol tablets. He was ultimately apprehended and found in possession of a Taurus Model G3C, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

The case against Williams is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a key program that aims to bring together various law enforcement levels alongside communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence, ultimately striving for safer neighborhoods. This initiative was strengthened on May 26, 2021, with a violent crime reduction strategy that emphasizes establishing trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, applying strategic enforcement priorities, and tracking the outcomes, according to the same press release.

Special commendation was given to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department for their role in the investigation that led to Williams' sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit is tasked with prosecuting the case.