Ashonti Hall, Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, Louisiana 2021

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Table of Contents

New Orleans Man Sentenced for Gun in Drug Deal

Ashonti Hall, 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance handed down the sentence on August 5, 2021.

The indictment against Hall was returned in October 2019, charging him with possessing heroin, cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana with the intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Court documents reveal that Hall admitted to fleeing from New Orleans Police Department officers who were investigating him for a shooting that occurred the previous day. The police caught Hall and found him with a backpack containing several different types of drugs, scales, cash, and a loaded gun.

According to the indictment, Hall was found to be in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). The mandatory minimum term of 5 years imprisonment was imposed, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hall was also ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.

The sentence of 60 months in prison for Hall serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in drug trafficking and possessing firearms in furtherance of such crimes. This case highlights the importance of interagency collaboration and the commitment to keeping our communities safe from violent crime and drug activity.

The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and reduce violence in our communities.