Louisiana Man Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges and Faces Up to Life in Prison and a $1.5 Million Fine if Convicted
New Orleans, Louisiana – A Louisiana man has been charged with federal gun and drug offenses and is facing a steep punishment of life imprisonment and a hefty fine of up to $1.5 million if found guilty.
On May 16, 2023, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Nathaniel Williams, age 27, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on May 12, 2023, in a three-count indictment for violating the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts.
Williams is charged in Count 1 with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). He is charged in Count 2 with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). He is charged in Count 3 with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A).
If convicted of Count 1, Williams faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, he faces a mandatory minimum term of five years to life in prison, to run consecutively with all other sentences, a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. For each offense, he is required to pay a $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized 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 led by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit.