Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Possession of an Automatic Weapon and Drug Trafficking

New Orleans, Louisiana – A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to charges related to possession of an automatic weapon and drug trafficking.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Kenneth Muse, age 24, of New Orleans, Louisiana pleaded guilty on March 9, 2023, before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts.

Muse admits to being arrested after escaping from Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies on a dirt bike for possessing a machinegun and tramadol tablets he was selling, according to court records. Muse’s gun contained a “Glock switch,” which turned the normally semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon. Muse acknowledged having tramadol with the intent to distribute it, as well as having the pistol in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a convicted criminal in possession of a firearm.

The sentencing date has been set for June 13, 2023. Muse faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least one year of supervised release for the drug violation. Muse faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which must run concurrently with any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release on the charge of having a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Muse faces up to ten years in jail, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release on the felon in possession of a firearm charge. Each count is also subject to a $100 special assessment cost. Muse and the government agreed that a sentence of 15 years was a reasonable resolution of the case under the terms of his plea deal.

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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are both looking into this matter. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.