Trial Jury Finds New Orleans Man Guilty Of Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on December 17, 2019, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against DAMIEN JUSTIN, age 42, relating to being a prohibited person in possession of two (2) firearms.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 10, 2019, the Violent Crime Task Force for the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at 11416 North Easterlyn Circle, New Orleans, Louisiana.  Inside this residence, members of the Task Force located a loaded Glock Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a loaded Smith & Wesson Model Lady Smith, .38 caliber revolver in a nightstand next to JUSTIN’s bed.  JUSTIN later admitted that he used the Glock and the Smith & Wesson revolver in the nightstand for his protection.

At the conclusion of a two-day trial, the jury found JUSTIN guilty of the sole count of the Superseding Indictment.  JUSTIN faces up to a maximum of ten (10) years imprisonment.  Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for April 7, 2020.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Strasser praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force   which led this investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans and Andre Jones are in charge of the prosecution.