Zantravious Brooks, 19, of Bossier City, pled guilty on July 23 in federal court to possession of a machinegun and now faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the charge.
According to court documents, Shreveport Police officers and a Caddo Parish Juvenile Probation Officer conducted a compliance check at a Shreveport townhouse on February 19. Brooks was present during the search, which was carried out with the consent of the resident’s mother. Officers found a loaded Glock Model 19 firearm in a bedroom closet. Brooks admitted that he possessed the firearm and had hidden it in the closet. The weapon had been modified with an external machinegun conversion device known as a “Glock switch.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives examined the weapon and confirmed that it had been converted into a machinegun.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement regarding Brooks’ plea.
The case was investigated by the Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Juvenile Probation Office, and ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), described as “a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.” PSN is coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across all federal judicial districts.