Robert Earl Tucker, Jr., 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was convicted by a federal jury on multiple firearms charges after a three-day trial, marking a sharp rebuke to a man who repeatedly lied to buy guns despite being legally barred from ownership. The verdict, delivered before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick, found Tucker guilty on three counts of making false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers, one count of possession of a firearm by a person adjudicated as a mental defective, and one count of possession of ammunition by such a person.
Tucker was first declared a mental defective in December 2011—a designation that strips an individual of their right to purchase or possess firearms under federal law. Despite this, court evidence revealed he attempted to buy guns on three separate occasions from licensed dealers, each time filling out federal Form 4473 and falsely claiming he had never been adjudicated mentally defective. Those forms were then submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, setting off a paper trail that would later seal his conviction.
The charges stem from two alarming incidents. On August 6, 2019, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting an armed man inside the Walmart at 10550 Burbank Drive. Officers detained and searched Tucker, finding a loaded Ruger firearm on his person. Then, on June 8, 2020, authorities discovered he was in possession of 41 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 38 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition—further evidence of his continued defiance of federal law.
Tucker now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison, along with steep fines, possible restitution, and a term of supervised release. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli J. Abad and Demetrius D. Sumner, argued that Tucker’s actions posed a clear and present danger to public safety, particularly given his mental health adjudication and repeated attempts to legally obtain firearms through deception.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin didn’t mince words: “This conviction rightfully removes Mr. Tucker from the community and underscores the importance of enforcing federal firearms violations.” He praised the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s officers who responded to what was initially feared as an active shooter situation and commended the ATF for their investigative role. “The system worked,” Fremin said. “And it worked because law enforcement acted with courage and precision.”
ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn emphasized the gravity of mentally ill individuals accessing firearms. “This case illustrates the inherent dangers,” he said. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux echoed the sentiment, thanking federal partners for taking these cases seriously. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with critical support from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
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Related Federal Cases
- Baton Rouge Felon Terrance Thornton Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges · Louisiana
- Shawn D’Anthony Brown Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Louisiana
- Salvador Acosta-Salas Sentenced for Firearm Possession · Louisiana
- Trevoir Jackson Charged with Stolen Firearm Possession · Louisiana
- Metairie’s Randolph B. Martin Charged as Felon with Firearm · Georgia
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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