Shane Bolden, a 36-year-old New Orleans resident, has been handed an 87-month prison sentence followed by a mandatory three years of post-release supervision. In a statement made by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the sentencing was a consequence of Bolden's guilty plea to charges of marijuana possession with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
During the execution of a search warrant on April 8, 2024, at Bolden's residence, officers found over a pound of marijuana intended for sale and eight firearms. Notably, among them was a selection of pistols, including a Glock Model 33 with armor-piercing rounds and a .40 caliber stolen Glock Model 22. The haul also included over $100,000 in cash, which was also confiscated. Previously convicted for an identical drug offense, Bolden was barred from firearm possession. All the seized firearms and cash have been ordered to be forfeited to the U.S. government as part of Bolden's plea agreement.
This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative that marshals local and national law enforcement efforts to reduce violent crime. After a revamp on May 26, 2021, the project enhanced its focus on building trust within communities, backing organizations working on violence prevention, pinpointing enforcement priorities, and tracking outcomes. According to the same U.S. Attorney's statement, the FBI and the New Orleans Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.
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