Demarco Jones, 23, of Tickfaw, and Willie Walker, 22, of Hammond, admitted in federal court yesterday to stealing 57 handguns during the violent burglary of the Tickfaw Auction Company — a federally licensed firearms dealer — on January 31, 2017. The heist, which unfolded under cover of darkness, has rattled rural Tangipahoa Parish and sparked a multi-agency manhunt that ended behind bars.
The two men each pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee, a federal crime carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. On top of that, Walker admitted to possession of stolen firearms, while Jones — a convicted felon — entered a separate plea for possession of firearms by a prohibited person, a charge that hits hard under the Gun Control Act.
Each count carries identical sentencing exposure: up to 10 years per offense, three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. With multiple charges stacked, their futures now hinge on what Judge decides at sentencing, currently scheduled for May 9, 2018.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Hammond Police Department, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office — agencies that have intensified collaboration under the reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Federal prosecutors say the program, resurrected by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in October 2017, targets violent offenders who destabilize communities through gun crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. McMahon, who is handling the prosecution, emphasized that while the pleas eliminate a trial, the message is clear: federal gun theft won’t be treated like petty larceny. “These weren’t just stolen tools or electronics,” McMahon said in a statement. “Fifty-seven handguns loosed into circulation threaten public safety on a mass scale.”
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, who announced the pleas, reminded the public that indictments are not convictions — but in this case, the guilty pleas cut through the doubt. “The system worked,” Evans said. “Two men stole a small arsenal. Now they face federal time. That’s the price of playing with fire.”
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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