Felons, Drug Dealers in Possession of Firearms, Louisiana 2024

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that local efforts to increase violent crime prosecutions in the Acadiana area are having a substantial impact.

Mr. Joseph’s focus on violent crime is part of the ongoing effort to increase targeted prosecutions of violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. In the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana has prosecuted more than 200 defendants throughout the district, approximately 78 of which are in the Acadiana area, for firearm-related offenses, including felons and drug dealers in possession of firearms. These prosecutions represent approximately three times the number of such cases than have been brought in previous years.

The PSN program is a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving local, state and federal law enforcement. In the Acadiana area, participants include the ATF, FBI, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Lafayette Parish District Attorney’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, Crowley Police Department, and officers with the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office.

“Violent crime involving firearms has become a worsening problem in Acadiana,” Joseph stated. “This trend must end. We have been working with partner agencies to provide a targeted approach to reducing firearm-related violence by bringing federal charges against those felons and drug dealers most likely to cause violence in their communities.

“We want to spread the word that the full weight of the federal criminal justice system is committed to prosecuting those who spread violence in our communities. They will be stopped,” Joseph added.

United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority and has directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a crime reduction strategy involving PSN.

The FBI New Orleans Field Office has formed several gang task forces specifically to identify and eradicate drug dealers and violent offenders from Louisiana streets and neighborhoods. In concert with our Law Enforcement partners, the FBI utilizes intelligence-based analysis to strategically place gang task forces and federal resources throughout the state, which have been very effective.

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