SHREVEPORT, LA – Cartavious Cursshuan Pouncy, 21, is headed to federal prison after a traffic stop exposed a dangerous secret hidden in his Dodge Challenger. Pouncy was sentenced to 20 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a converted machine gun.
The case began late last year when Shreveport Police Department officers pulled over the tagless Challenger near Hearne Avenue and Corbitt Street on May 15, 2022. The smell of marijuana wafted from the vehicle, prompting officers to ask Pouncy and his two passengers to exit. Pouncy initially denied having any narcotics or firearms inside.
That denial proved false. A search of the vehicle revealed a Panther Arms AR Pistol, Model: DPMS, stashed behind the driver’s seat, along with two loaded magazines containing 63 rounds of ammunition. Pouncy later admitted, after being read his Miranda rights, that the weapon was his, purchased just days prior.
The real danger lay within the firearm itself. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents determined the AR Pistol had been illegally modified with a “drop-in auto sear” – a device that transforms a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machine gun. Crucially, Pouncy had not registered the weapon with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), a clear violation of federal law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford successfully prosecuted the case, built on the combined investigative work of the ATF and the Shreveport Police Department. Pouncy pleaded guilty to the charge on March 16, 2023, accepting responsibility for possessing the illegal weapon.
Federal officials say this case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a violent crime reduction program designed to foster trust between law enforcement and communities, support violence prevention organizations, and strategically target enforcement efforts. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN initiative in May 2021, emphasizing community engagement and measurable results in the fight against gun violence.
Related Federal Cases
- Tedric Ratcliff, Elijah Brown: Machine Gun Possession, Shreveport LA, 2024 · Louisiana
- Tydarrien Porter, Machine Gun Possession, Shreveport LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- Kody Severin, Machine Gun Conversion Device Possession, LA 2023 · Illinois
- New Orleans Man Sentenced 87 Months for Machine Gun Possession · Illinois
- Tyki Clayton, Machine Gun Possession, Lutcher LA, 2024 · Louisiana
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