A New Orleans man with a history of felony convictions has been sent back to prison for illegally possessing firearms. JENARD WALTON, also known as Janard Walton, was sentenced to over three years in prison and will undergo supervised release for an additional three years afterward, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced earlier this week.
The 41-year-old's home was the site of the discovery which took place on March 19, 2024, when law enforcement executed a federal search warrant. Wrapped in a towel in a kitchen cabinet, they found a Springfield, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, along with approximately one and a half pounds of marijuana. A hidden compartment under stairs, leading conspicuously to the second story, concealed a stolen Smith & Wesson, .40 caliber pistol and roughly $37,941 in U.S. currency, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office website.
Previous convictions, at least five of them being felonies, barred WALTON from legal firearm possession. These records, including a past federal conviction for the same illegal possession of a firearm, compounded the severity of his current predicament.
WALTON's case falls under the purview of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. After previously pleading guilty, Walton was given a 37 months imprisonment sentence by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson's office declared with intent to foster safer communities through strategic enforcement and community involvement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Slidell Police Department conducted the investigation leading up to WALTON's conviction, with Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit spearheading the prosecution.
