In a recent announcement from Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson, it has been reported that Joshua Williams, a 21-year-old New Orleans resident, received a sentence of 75 months in prison for possessing a firearm to further his involvement in drug trafficking. The sentencing took place on March 27, 2025, as ordered by Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown. Following his prison term, Williams is to face five years of supervised release and has been mandated to pay a $100 special assessment fee after his prior guilty plea to the offense outlined under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
The charges against Williams stem from an incident occurring on April 4, 2022, when New Orleans Police Department officers carried out a search warrant at his residence, where they found marijuana intended for sale along with a digital scale. According to the official statement, officers also confiscated two firearms – a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber firearm and a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter firearm – which were possessed by Williams in connection with his drug distribution activities.
The case is part of a wider initiative known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which unites multiple levels of law enforcement and community players to tackle and reduce instances of violent crime and gun violence, aiming to enhance safety in neighborhoods. On May 26, 2021, the Department revised PSN with a strategy focused on key pillars: building community trust and legitimacy, boosting violence prevention through community-based organizations, setting precise enforcement priorities, and tracking outcomes.
Williams's investigation was a collaborative effort between the local New Orleans Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman, from the General Crimes Unit. The sentence handed down to Williams reflects the ongoing commitment to enforcing the law against those facilitating drug trafficking with the use of firearms, and bolsters initiatives aimed at curtailing violent crime within communities.
