NEW ORLEANS, LA – Paul Thomas, age 34, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 49 months for violating the Federal Gun Control Act. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on March 2, 2023, stems from a firearms cache discovered at an auto-body shop operated by Thomas, during a New Orleans Police Department investigation into a separate murder.
The bust wasn’t a targeted gun operation, but a lucky break during a homicide probe. NOPD officers raiding Thomas’s shop on Clark Street found far more than they were looking for: a .357 handgun, four rifles, a shotgun, four Glock .40 caliber handguns, multiple magazines, and even digital scales alongside a collection of cell phones. Thomas, already a convicted felon, had no legal right to possess any of it.
Federal prosecutors didn’t mess around. Thomas pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge carrying a significant penalty. The feds highlighted the particularly dangerous combination of weapons seized – a Glock pistol with an extended magazine and, more alarmingly, an AR-15 style rifle equipped with double drum magazines, suggesting a capacity for rapid and widespread destruction.
Judge Fallon didn’t just hand down the prison sentence. He also ordered Thomas to serve three years of supervised release after completing his 49-month term, and slapped him with a $100 special assessment fee. The judge further ordered the forfeiture of all the firearms discovered at the auto-body shop, handing them over to federal authorities.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans framed the case as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by coordinating efforts between law enforcement agencies and local communities. The program, recently revamped, emphasizes building trust, supporting community organizations, and focusing enforcement where it’s needed most.
The investigation was a joint effort, conducted by the New Orleans Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution, driving the case to a conviction and a substantial prison sentence for Thomas. This case serves as a stark reminder that felons caught with firearms in New Orleans will face serious federal consequences.
Related Federal Cases
- Anthony Thomas, Illegal Gun Possession, New Orleans LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- Derrick Johnson, Gun Violation, New Orleans LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- Shamar Holmes, Gun Violation, New Orleans LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- Michael Crawford, Gun Violation, New Orleans LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- Christopher Shaw, Gun Violation, New Orleans LA, 2023 · California
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons