Authorities in Louisiana have cited a man from West Monroe for illicitly carrying a firearm despite former convictions that legally bar him from such possession. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), Thomas White, 61, was encountered by enforcement agents on Sunday as they patrolled the Ouachita Parish area close to D'Arbonne Bayou.
Agents initially spotted an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) without lights and chose to follow on foot until they reached a nearby residence. During the interaction with the rider, who was later identified as White, agents found him to have a 25-06 bolt-action rifle. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that White is indeed a convicted felon, making it illegal for him to possess any firearm.
The LDWF agents seized the firearm and obtained an arrest warrant for Thomas White. The Union Parish Sheriff's Office, acting on the information provided by the LDWF agents, arrested White for being a fugitive from justice on Wednesday and booked him into the Union Parish Jail. White was cited at the jail for his illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to to LDWF website.
The offense White faces carries a penalty ranging from a $1,000 to $5,000 fine and up to 10 to 20 years of imprisonment. The charges stem from a violation of the law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing or controlling firearms. The case was initiated by LDWF agents Sgt. Tyler Wheeler and Corporal Torris White, who conducted the investigation that led to the citation of Thomas White.
