31-Year-Old Louisiana Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm

New Orleans, Louisiana – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Morris Summers, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana pleaded guilty on January 31, 2023, before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to a one count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act.

Summers was previously convicted in another federal case before Judge Morgan for conspiring to distribute crack and conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to court records. Summers possessed a Springfield Armory Model Hellcat, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 26, 2022.

The sentencing date has been set for April 27, 2023, by Judge Morgan. Summers faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve together 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.

The New Orleans Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all looked into the case. Assistant United States Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.