LAKE CHARLES, LA – A Lake Charles man is facing over four years in federal prison after a routine police encounter turned up a hidden handgun and evidence of drug use. John Robert Stevens, Jr., 35, received a 51-month sentence from U.S. District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm in May.
The case unfolded when Lake Charles Police Department officers responded to reports of a disturbance. Upon encountering Stevens, they discovered a Lorcin L25 tucked into his front pants pocket, along with a glass tube containing white residue wrapped in bubble wrap. The discovery was particularly damning because Stevens is a convicted felon, legally prohibited from owning or possessing any firearm.
According to court documents, Stevens admitted to brandishing the weapon – gesturing with it toward another couple while searching for his girlfriend. The couple reportedly saw the outline of the gun through his jacket. This brazen display, coupled with his prior criminal history, sealed his fate. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lake Charles Police Department jointly investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy handling the prosecution.
In a separate case, a repeat offender has been returned to custody after a brazen escape from a halfway house. Derrick Nathaniel Hartfield, 55, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for escaping federal custody, adding to an already lengthy record. Hartfield had previously served 84 months for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, being released in March 2019.
His supervised release was revoked in January 2020 after a violation, resulting in an additional 27-month sentence. While serving this time, he was transferred to a CINC facility – a halfway house – in Lake Charles. On August 26, 2021, Hartfield told staff he was heading to work, but never returned. A month later, he was apprehended by the San Bernadino County, California, Sheriff’s Office following a theft at a local pizza restaurant.
The U.S. Marshal’s Service led the investigation into Hartfield’s escape, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuting the case. Both Stevens and Hartfield will also serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms. These sentences send a clear message: federal authorities will aggressively pursue those who violate the law and endanger public safety, and those who attempt to evade justice will be brought to account.
Related Federal Cases
- Kohl Hammer, Mailing Loaded Firearm, SD 2019 · Louisiana
- Brad Wendt Convicted of Firearm Violations, Utah 2023 · Utah
- Joseph Chad Castillo, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Louisiana 2022 · Illinois
- Luis Salas-Ferrer, et al. – Firearm Trafficking, Illinois 2025 · Illinois
- John Damian, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, California 2023 · California
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
