LAKE CHARLES, La. – A Lake Charles man’s felony past came back to haunt him after he was caught with a sawed-off shotgun and a stash of drugs.
Mark Washington, 45, pleaded guilty to possessing a sawed-off shotgun and trafficking drugs before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay. According to the guilty plea, members of the Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce responded to a report of drug activity at a home on Hinton Drive in Lake Charles on April 18, 2017.
Upon arriving at the scene, taskforce agents found Washington standing in the driveway with two men inside a car. Agents searched the residence and found a Sigarms Model 250 semi-automatic pistol with 12 live rounds, a Glock Model 36, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol with four live rounds, a sawed-off Stevens Model 940E, .410 gauge break-action shotgun, and a sawed-off 20 gauge break-action shotgun of unknown make and model.
They also found loose synthetic marijuana on the television stand in the living room, and 936 pills, two pink plastic bags of synthetic marijuana, a cigarette pack containing a glass vile with drug residue, a cellophane baggie with five ecstasy pills and $1,145.
Washington admitted to living in the residence and buying the guns on the streets, despite being a convicted felon and not allowed to be around firearms. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the firearms count, and up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the drug count.
The court set a sentencing date of October 1, 2018. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. The ATF and Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore prosecuting the case.
Washington also faces three years of supervised release and forfeiture of the seized weapons. This is a stark reminder of the dangers of gun crime and the importance of addressing the root causes of violence in our communities.
The case highlights the success of Project Safe Neighborhoods in bringing together law enforcement and the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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