A New Orleans man, identified as 26-year-old Roy Hilton, has admitted to charges of illegal machine gun possession and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea was entered last Wednesday, relating to an incident from August of the previous year, when New Orleans Police Department officers spotted him with what appeared to be a modified firearm during a surveillance operation, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, during the New Orleans Police Department's operation in Hollygrove, Hilton was seen with two firearms with extended magazines. When officers approached, Hilton ran, dropping a firearm which was later identified as equipped with a "Glock switch," a device that transforms a semi-automatic handgun into an automatic machine gun. This incident led to the charges leveled against Hilton, considering his status as a convicted felon due to a past cocaine possession conviction in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.
Hilton's sentencing is scheduled with U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan for January 15, 2026. The federal law clear: convicted felons are barred from possessing firearms. Hilton's previous conviction squarely placed him in violation of this law upon his involvement with the weapons in question, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
This case is part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which strives to bring down violent crime and gun violence rates. In a May 2021 strategy update, the Department intensified Project Safe Neighborhoods approach, emphasizing community trust, supportive organizations that prevent violence, strategic enforcement priorities, and result measurement. The ATF and New Orleans Police Department conducted the investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit/Strike Force Unit leading the prosecution, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
