Shreveport, La. — A local man with a prior felony conviction was caught red-handed with a loaded .45 caliber pistol inside his home, leading to a federal guilty plea that could land him behind bars for a decade. Jelantis J. Chatman, 22, admitted in court Friday to illegally possessing the weapon, a violation of federal law that carries stiff penalties.
Chatman pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The arrest went down on July 12, 2017, when law enforcement officers moved in on Chatman at his Shreveport residence. Inside the home, they recovered a Springfield Armory Model XD45, .45 caliber pistol, along with accompanying ammunition — clear evidence under federal statutes.
Because Chatman was previously convicted of a felony in 2015, he is categorically barred from owning or handling any firearm. That prior conviction transforms what might have been a lesser offense into a serious federal crime. His fingerprints on the weapon and its presence in his residence sealed the case.
Now, he’s staring down the barrel of up to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for May 16, 2018, when U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks will decide Chatman’s fate.
The case was pursued under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative recently reinvigorated by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to combat rising violent crime. The strategy hinges on coordinated federal, state, and local law enforcement action — and Chatman’s arrest is being touted as a direct win for the program.
Investigation was handled jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Shreveport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting. The message from federal authorities is clear: felons caught with guns will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Related Federal Cases
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- Shreveport Felon Aaron Troquille Pleads Guilty to Ammunition Possession · Louisiana
- Lafayette Felon Hack Gets 26 Months for Gun Possession · Louisiana
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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