Federal Grand Jury in Louisiana Indicts New Orleans Man on Two Counts in Connection with Kidnapping and Firearms Charges

New Orleans, Louisiana – A federal grand jury in Louisiana has indicted a New Orleans man on two counts in connection with kidnapping and firearms charges.

On May 19, 2023, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on May 5, 2023, Mervin Amacker, Jr., age 41, was charged in a two-count indictment for kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Amacker is charged with kidnapping in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1201(a) in Count 1. If Amacker is convicted on Count 1, he risks life in prison, a $250,000 penalty, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment charge.

In count 2, Amacker is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g) (1). If convicted on Count 2, Amacker faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment charge.

United States Attorney Evans underlined that the indictment is only a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be established 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department investigated the case. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crimes Unit.