SHREVEPORT, LA – Three men are trading the streets of Shreveport for federal prison cells after being sentenced this week for possessing firearms they weren’t legally allowed to have. The cases, investigated by the ATF and local police, reveal a pattern of repeat offenders flouting gun laws and putting the public at risk.
Christopher Joel Cox, 28, of McLeod, Texas, received the harshest sentence: 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. A routine traffic stop last April quickly turned into a weapons investigation when a deputy with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office spotted a pistol on the floor of Cox’s vehicle. A search revealed multiple loaded firearms. The problem? Cox already had a conviction for Assault 2-Strangulation-Attempted in Colorado in 2018, making him a prohibited person.
The sentences didn’t stop with Cox. Jelantis J. Chatman, 28, and Courvisier U. Glover, 24, both of Shreveport, each admitted to being convicted felons in possession of a firearm. Chatman will spend 30 months behind bars, while Glover received 32 months, both followed by 3 years of supervised release. The pair were caught during a September traffic stop, with officers discovering loaded Glock pistols stashed under both of their seats.
Chatman’s rap sheet isn’t short. He’s been convicted of simple burglary in 2015 and previously convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon in 2018 – also in federal court. Glover’s history is even more concerning, with two prior convictions for possessing a firearm after being convicted of domestic abuse battery, in 2018 and 2020. These aren’t first-time offenders; they are individuals repeatedly engaging in dangerous behavior.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Flanagan and Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the cases, emphasizing the federal government’s commitment to tackling gun violence. These prosecutions are part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN) initiative, a program designed to bring together law enforcement at all levels and community organizations to reduce violent crime. The initiative focuses on building trust, supporting preventative programs, and strategically targeting enforcement efforts.
While the sentences offer a temporary reprieve from these individuals’ criminal activity, the underlying problem of illegal gun possession remains. The ATF and Shreveport Police Department continue to work to stem the flow of firearms into the hands of those prohibited from possessing them, but the cycle of crime requires a multi-faceted approach addressing the root causes of violence and providing opportunities for rehabilitation. The question remains: will these sentences truly make Shreveport’s neighborhoods safer, or are they merely a temporary bandage on a deeper wound?
Related Federal Cases
- Sokha Sophea, Firearms Possession, Louisiana 2022 · Louisiana
- Tylius Arceneaux, Illegal Firearms Possession, Louisiana 2021 · Illinois
- Sicko, Murder, Racketeering, Firearms, Narcotics Violations, LA, 2024 · Alaska
- Steven Re, Possession of Stolen Firearms, Louisiana 2018 · Illinois
- Angelo Demario Young, Illegal Firearm Possession, LA 2024 · Louisiana
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