U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that STEPHAN MITCHEL THOMAS, age 22, of Holden, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 to federal firearms violations and Hobbs Act robberies in a seven-count indictment.
According to court documents, THOMAS and others robbed drug dealers at gunpoint on July 11, 2016 and on Sept. 1, 2016. For this conduct, THOMAS pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. On another occasion, THOMAS possessed a firearm silencer, a short-barrel rifle, and a sawed-off shotgun, without registering these firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
THOMAS faces, as to each count of Hobbs Act robbery, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of $250,000, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. As to the count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, THOMAS faces a minimum sentence of seven years up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, five years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. As to each count of possessing unregistered firearms, THOMAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of $10,000, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle set sentencing for Jan. 30, 2018.
U. S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Hammond Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria M. Carboni and Shirin Hakimzadeh.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
