Elijah Martin, 28, of Orleans Parish, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon after entering a guilty plea. The charge stems from two separate incidents in which law enforcement found him armed, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown imposed the sentence on December 4, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court records, Martin was first apprehended on December 16, 2023, by an East Jefferson Parish Levee Police Department officer during a traffic stop, when a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield nine-millimeter pistol was seized. As a convicted felon, he was not legally permitted to possess the firearm. Less than two months later, on January 25, 2024, New Orleans Police Department officers found Martin again in possession of a Glock Model 26 nine-millimeter pistol, confirming his prohibited status due to prior felony convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement with community partners to reduce violent crime and gun-related offenses. Since May 26, 2021, PSN has emphasized fostering community trust, supporting violence-prevention organizations, establishing strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes to promote safer environments.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative that coordinates law enforcement at all levels with community partners to reduce violent crime and gun-related offenses. Since May 26, 2021, PSN has focused on fostering community trust, supporting violence-prevention programs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes to enhance public safety.
