Kody Severin, a 28-year-old resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 26 by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 138 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple federal charges involving firearms, drugs, and explosives.
Severin’s sentencing follows his admission of guilt to eight counts, including possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of firearms; possession of machine guns; possession of an unregistered firearm; attempt to obstruct justice; and receiving explosive materials. The court ordered that sentences for most counts run concurrently except for the charge related to using firearms during a drug trafficking crime, which must be served consecutively.
According to court documents, law enforcement searched an apartment on Milan Street on December 12, 2022. Inside the residence, officers found several pistols—including some equipped with conversion devices turning them into fully automatic weapons—over one hundred machine gun conversion devices in various stages of completion (such as “Glock switches” and drop-in auto sears), large quantities of suspected marijuana packaged separately, completed and incomplete silencers, two explosive devices, ammunition, extended magazines, mail addressed to Severin, clothing items linked to him, cellphones, and an industrial milling machine covered in metal shavings.
The following day police encountered Severin at the same apartment. Officers reported seeing him throw a revolver from the second-floor balcony before he surrendered without further incident. Law enforcement confirmed that Severin had previously been convicted for felony methamphetamine possession in Jefferson Parish in February 2019.
United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the New Orleans Police Department during this investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans from the General Crimes Unit and Lynn E. Schiffman from the Narcotics Unit prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national initiative focused on reducing violent crime through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and communities.
