New Orleans Man Guilty of Firearm Possession to Further Drug Trafficking (DOJ)

According to court documents, WILLIAMS sold marijuana in the New Orleans area, including through his Instagram accounts. WILLIAMS frequently posted photos and videos to Instagram showing him in possession of firearms, marijuana, and large amounts of cash.

Law enforcement tracked a GMC Sierra pickup truck, stolen in New Orleans to WILLIAMS's residence. Officers executed a search warrant at WILLIAMS's residence and recovered the following items: a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber firearm (reported stolen), a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter firearm, and a large glass jar containing 75 grams of marijuana, some of which was packaged for distribution. Both firearms were loaded and had extended magazines. WILLIAMS possessed the firearms and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.

WILLIAMS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by theUnited States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.