32-Year-Old Louisiana Man Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison if Convicted After Being Charged with Illegal Weapon Possession

New Orleans, Louisiana – A 32-year-old man from Louisiana is facing up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted on the charge of illegal weapon possession.

On May 3, 2023, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Rasheed Smith, age 32, a resident of Marrero, Louisiana, was indicted on April 28, 2023, for illegal possession of a firearm.

Smith faces a potential sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment charge if convicted.

U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 minimize 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 Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit.