Dante Frazier, a 45-year-old convicted felon, has been handed a 188-month sentence for firing at New Orleans police officers and drug offenses. Last Thursday, U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon imposed the sentence following Frazier's guilty plea for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, charges stemming from an incident where he opened fire on police officers, according to an official release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office report details that New Orleans Police Department officers found Frazier unconscious in a vehicle, initiating a chase that led to Frazier striking a median and ultimately fleeing on foot, during this pursuit Frazier discharged five shots from a .22 caliber handgun at the officers before taking cover beneath a house where he was later detained, police discovered 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine in his vehicle intended for distribution. Prior to this event, Frazier had a criminal history including convictions for armed robbery and drug distribution.
Part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which aims to reduce violent crime through community and law enforcement collaboration, this case underscores the combined effort to tackle gun violence in American communities. The PSN program, reinvigorated with a strategic approach in 2021, emphasizes community engagement and precise enforcement to achieve its goals, as laid out by the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the NOPD, Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit led the prosecution, the justice system's response to Frazier's crime undoubtedly sending a message about the severity with which actions endangering police officers and the public are regarded; Frazier's capture and conviction serve as a testament to the diligent work by those committed to upholding the law and ensuring community safety. Following his prison term, Frazier will be subject to four years of supervised release and is also required to pay a $200 special assessment fee, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
