19-Year-Old Man Indicted in Louisiana Court for Possession of a Machine Gun and Drug Charges

New Orleans, Louisiana – Townsend Grant, age 19, was charged on January 26, 2023, in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury for possession of a machinegun, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

Grant faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release if convicted of possessing a machinegun.

Grant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release if convicted of possessing with the intent to distribute heroin.

Grant faces a minimum sentence of thirty years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, to be served concurrently with all other counts, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five years supervised release following any term of imprisonment if convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Grant must also pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count of the indictment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together law enforcement at all levels and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy to strengthen PSN on May 26, 2021, based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is only a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel is prosecuting the case.