Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Mervin Amacker Jr., 43, has pled guilty to carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges were part of a Superseding Bill of Information filed against him. Amacker could face up to 15 years in prison, fines up to $250,000, three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count. His sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2025.
The incident occurred on March 8, 2023, when Amacker boarded a New Orleans Regional Transit Authority bus at Hayne Boulevard and Lacombe Street in New Orleans East. During the journey near Curran Boulevard and Vincent Road, he produced a firearm and demanded the driver take him to the hospital while threatening violence. The driver complied by driving rapidly through traffic signals.
Upon reaching the hospital, Amacker instructed the driver to approach the emergency room entrance ramp before exiting the bus and entering the emergency room where he claimed to have suffered a gunshot wound. He was found with a loaded Ruger Model 9E pistol which was secured by hospital security and handed over to NOPD.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through community collaboration. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN emphasizes trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement priorities, and results measurement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the New Orleans Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
