Darran Boykins, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Louisiana 2024

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Darran Boykins, 29, has confessed to a federal weapons violation, adding another chapter to his escalating criminal record. Boykins pled guilty on January 25th to being a felon in possession of ammunition, a charge under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The plea sets the stage for a sentencing hearing on April 25th, where he could face a decade behind bars.

The case stems from a March 20, 2021 incident in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward. New Orleans Police Department officers responded to reports of an aggravated assault involving a firearm. During the investigation of the shooting, officers discovered ammunition stashed inside a dresser at the residence. Crucially, the ammunition was found alongside Boykins’ Louisiana identification, directly linking him to the illegal possession.

This wasn’t Boykins’ first brush with the law. Court records reveal a pattern of violent offenses. He was previously convicted on January 23, 2019, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, for the simple, but serious, crime of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. That conviction, along with others punishable by over a year in prison, made his possession of ammunition a federal offense.

Federal prosecutors are seeking a maximum sentence for Boykins: up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following his incarceration. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 will also be levied. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crime Unit, is leading the prosecution, signaling the seriousness with which the Department of Justice is pursuing this case.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being touted as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a broad initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and local communities.

While officials tout PSN’s focus on community engagement and preventative measures, the outcome for Boykins underscores the program’s enforcement arm. The Department of Justice launched a strengthened PSN strategy in May 2021, emphasizing focused enforcement priorities and measurable results – and Darran Boykins is now one of those results, facing a potentially lengthy prison term for his illegal possession of ammunition.

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