A 25-year-old Hammond man, Kylin Sexton, has pled guilty to the federal charge of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson confirmed. The admission came ahead of a sentencing hearing set for July 24, where Sexton could face up to twenty years in prison and a fine topping $1 million, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The conviction stems from an incident dating back to May 18, 2022, when Sexton and a co-conspirator were found by the Ponchatoula Police with drugs and firearms in their vehicle. In a previous case on October 10, 2024, Sexton also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, which already placed him in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to court documents, when officers responded to the scene, they encountered resistance from the co-conspirator and upon searching the vehicle discovered a Glock Model 17 nine-millimeter handgun equipped with a "Glock switch" that converts it into a machine gun, beside the passenger seat, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Sexton, seated on the driver's side with a backpack at his feet, was found to be in possession of marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride, thus violating 21 U.S.C. Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D).
Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown is slated to hand down Sexton's sentence later this summer. The sentence includes a period of supervised release of at least 3 years up to life on top of potential prison time, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee is also mandated. The exact sentence will be determined, based on various factors, including the severity of Sexton's actions and his previous criminal record, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
