Brandon Joseph, 41, of New Orleans was indicted on April 16 for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to an April 27 announcement by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The indictment alleges that Joseph, who had previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, was found with a firearm on or about March 2 in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The charge falls under Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
If convicted, Joseph faces up to fifteen years in prison, a fine as high as $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. “U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration and violent crime through efforts such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department; prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed from the Violent Crime Unit.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana serves as chief federal law enforcement officer for Southeast Louisiana according to its official website. The office enforces federal laws to protect residents, prosecutes criminal cases and handles civil matters including debt collection for the federal government according to its official website. The U.S. Attorney is appointed by the President with Senate approval according to its official website.
