Lafayette, Louisiana, is no stranger to gun violence, but the stakes rose when 20-year-old Shawn D’Anthony Brown was caught with a loaded .32 caliber revolver spray-painted gold in his front right pocket during a routine traffic stop. Brown, a convicted felon, admitted in federal court Tuesday to the crime of illegally possessing a firearm — a charge that carries a potential decade behind bars.
The arrest unfolded on September 27, 2015, when Lafayette police pulled over a black four-door vehicle on Celeste Street for failing to use headlights. What began as a minor traffic violation quickly escalated when officers searched Brown and discovered the concealed handgun. At the time, he had two prior felony convictions, legally barring him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
Brown pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The plea, which awaits final acceptance by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi, marks a critical win for federal prosecutors aiming to disrupt repeat offenders’ access to deadly weapons.
Under federal law, Brown now faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release following any sentence. The seized gold-sprayed revolver and associated ammunition will also be forfeited. Sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2017.
This case was handled as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing firearm-related crime by cracking down on illegal gun possession among convicted felons and high-risk individuals. The program emphasizes collaboration between local and federal law enforcement to dismantle pathways to gun violence.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lafayette Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case, underscoring the federal government’s commitment to holding dangerous individuals accountable for breaking America’s gun laws.
Related Federal Cases
- Darren Ruffin, 26, Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession in NOLA · Louisiana
- Mark Anthony Crawford Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession · Louisiana
- Lafourche Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession · Louisiana
- Mexican Man Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession · Louisiana
- Hammond Man Charged with Illegal Gun Possession · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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