A federal jury found Caleb Lee Kinsey, 37, of Savannah, Georgia, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm after a two-day trial in Shreveport, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller on July 24. Kinsey faces up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Kinsey was under separate investigation in Georgia for suspected involvement in a house explosion that occurred on January 13, 2023, in Bryan County. Investigators there uncovered evidence linking him and an associate to the incident. Six days after the explosion, Kinsey approached a police officer in Pollock, Louisiana, and asked if there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. After police confirmed an active warrant from Georgia existed, Kinsey admitted there was a firearm inside his vehicle. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered the loaded weapon pursuant to a state search warrant.
Law enforcement confirmed that Kinsey had previously been convicted of a felony offense in another state, which made it illegal for him to possess firearms. He was subsequently taken into custody.
Kinsey is currently under federal indictment in the Southern District of Georgia for alleged crimes committed there.
The case was investigated by ATF with coordination from law enforcement agencies in both Louisiana and Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Moody and William Gaskins prosecuted the case with support from legal assistants Emily Favrot, Stephanie Stewart, and Amanda Morgan.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America (TBA), described as an initiative using Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration issues and combat violent crime through collaboration with state and local law enforcement as well as Project Safe Neighborhoods.