Louisiana Man Found Guilty of Carjacking and Firearms Charges Now Faces Up to Life in Prison

Louisiana – On July 12, 2022, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Devin Weaver, age 30, of New Orleans, was found guilty after a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk.

Weaver was found guilty on all three counts in the Superseding Indictment by the jury. In Count 1, the Superseding Indictment charged Weaver with carjacking, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 2119 (1), Count 2 charges him with brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1)(A) (ii), and in Count 3, he was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g) (1). On October 19, 2022, he will be sentenced. In relation to Count 1, Weaver faces a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In relation to Count 2, Weaver faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, to be served concurrently with any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Finally, for Count 3, Weaver faces up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

According to witness testimony, Weaver and a co-defendant, Tommie Mango, carjacked a woman in the 2000 block of Jackson Avenue on August 21, 2019. The defendants disguised themselves by wearing wigs and masks. At gunpoint, the victim was ordered from her vehicle, punched, and pushed to the ground. Weaver and Mango then fled the scene in the victim’s Jeep Cherokee, which was loaded with cell phones and other personal items. Law enforcement quickly located and apprehended both defendants after tracking the victims’ cell phones minutes after the incident.

Mango previously pleaded guilty to carjacking and brandishing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and his sentencing date is set for July 27, 2022.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has historically been successful in bringing all levels of law enforcement together to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime. PSN is an evidence-based program that has been shown to reduce violent crime. PSN brings together a diverse range of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime issues in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and collaborates with community-based prevention and reentry programs to achieve long-term crime reductions.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the New Orleans Police Department both investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Inga Petrovich and Gregory M. Kennedy of the United States Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit are prosecuting the case.