A Thibodaux resident, Brett Gabriel, age 32, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, providing a false statement to a firearms dealer, and making a false statement to a federal agency. The sentencing took place on November 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo in New Orleans.
Court documents state that Gabriel used stolen identity information to purchase a firearm and to obtain fraudulent paycheck protection program loan proceeds from the federal government. In addition to the prison term, Gabriel will serve three years of supervised release and must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $300.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Secret Service, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office for their roles in investigating the case. “Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Secret Service, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.” Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens II from the Financial Crimes Unit led the prosecution.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement agencies and communities with the goal of reducing violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice strengthened PSN’s violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021 by focusing on building community trust and legitimacy, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. More details about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psn.