Louisiana Felon Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Faces up to 10 Years and a $250k Fine if Convicted

New Orleans, Louisiana – On September 2, 2022, the Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana reported that Newman Hooker, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on September 1, 2022, in a one-count indictment for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Hooker faces up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000.00 fine, and a $100.00 obligatory special assessment charge if convicted.

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 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.

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.

The New Orleans Police Department, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation all looked into the matter. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and David Berman.