Brian Stephens, Armed Career Criminal, Louisiana 2020

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On October 13, 2020, U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced the sentencing of Brian Stephens, 35, of New Orleans, for possessing firearms after felony convictions.

According to court documents, Stephens, an armed career criminal, possessed firearms on three occasions. First, on July 16, 2017, Stephens was stopped in a vehicle in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and then fled on foot. Then, on October 3, 2018, Stephens discarded a stolen firearm during a foot chase with police officers. Lastly, on December 20, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Stephens’s home in Metairie and located two firearms, one of which was stolen.

U.S. District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter sentenced Stephens to serve 15 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Vitter also imposed a $300 special assessment.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the federal government’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni was in charge of the prosecution.

Defendant: Brian Stephens, a/k/a “Toomer,” 35, of New Orleans

Criminal Charges: Possessing firearms after felony convictions

City and State: New Orleans, Louisiana

Exact Date: October 13, 2020 (sentencing)

Sentence or Outcome: 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment

Dollar Amounts: $300 special assessment

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