An individual from New Orleans has entered a guilty plea for the illegal possession of a machine gun, as stated in a recent announcement by Acting U. S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. The man, 22-year-old Ladonte Richardson, could face up to a decade of prison time, alongside a possible fine reaching $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and an obligatory special assessment fee of $100.
Details from court records indicate that the FBI began to closely investigate Richardson's social media activity after he posted suggestive content that seemed to covertly advertise the sale of the controlled substance Tapentadol, referred to as "trains" on his Instagram account. This social media scrutiny eventually led investigators to obtain a search warrant for Richardson's online account, where they discovered visual proof of him brandishing firearms, which included a live stream video of Richardson with a gun equipped with a laser sight. Following this evidence, Richardson was swiftly apprehended by U.S. Marshals on an arrest warrant for two counts of second-degree murder related to incidents from the previous year.
During a subsequent search of Richardson's residence, authorities located the firearm from the Instagram video. The weapon was found to be modified with a switch, converting it into a machine gun, and it was also identified as stolen property. In his plea, Richardson conceded to having possession of the weapon and acknowledged his awareness of its modified, illegal status.
The case falls under the banner of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a joint initiative between law enforcement at all levels and community stakeholders, designed to decisively reduce violent crimes and gun violence, and thereby ensure safer neighborhoods. The program was invigorated with a new strategy on May 26, 2021, emphasizing community trust, backing violence-prevention organizations, targeted law enforcement, and outcome measurement. The FBI and the New Orleans Police Department were key in the investigation of this case, which is set to be prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Mike Trummel from the Violent Crime Unit, as per the U.S Attorney's Office.
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