SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man who was previously convicted last week of a felony pleaded guilty to possessing three handguns he tried to hide near the U.S. court house.
Deantre D. Caldwell, 30, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, Caldwell was traveling in the front passenger seat of a car that was rear-ended on April 24, 2017 near the intersection of Caddo and Market streets. The two drivers and Caldwell exited the vehicle. Caldwell had one of the drivers retrieve a backpack containing firearms from the front seat of the car he was traveling in, and he hid it in bushes outside of the Tom Stagg Federal Building and U.S. Court House. When officers arrived, a guard on duty at the federal court house informed the officers that he had seen Caldwell move the backpack. Officers found the bag, and it contained a Diamondback, model: DB-15, multi-caliber pistol; a Glock, model: 27GEN4,.40 caliber pistol; and a Glock, model 30GEN4,.45 auto caliber pistol. The drivers said the backpack belonged to Caldwell. The defendant was convicted of illegal use of a weapon on Feb. 21, 2007 in Caddo Parish and was restricted from possessing firearms.
Caldwell faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of April 27, 2018.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
