LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette man previously convicted of a felony pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing a.40 caliber pistol and ammunition.
Karlon Woods Jr., 22, of Lafayette, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to the guilty plea, Lafayette Police were on patrol around the Simcoe Street area on Oct. 20, 2016, when they encountered Woods. Officers observed Woods walking down a street with a red and black backpack, and when they approached, Woods fled. During the pursuit, Woods ran into a clothesline pole. During a medical evaluation on the scene, officers determined that Woods had an active warrant for his arrest. Officers located the red and black backpack they had previously seen on Woods in the yard where Woods was encountered. The backpack contained.40 caliber ammunition. Officers also recovered a.40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol near the backpack. Officers later determined that the firearm recovered on the scene had previously been reported stolen on Oct. 14, 2016, in Lafayette Parish. At the time of his arrest, Woods was a felon, having been previously convicted on Jan. 14, 2016, in the 15th Judicial District of second-degree battery.
Woods faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
