ALEXANDRIA, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Winnfield man pleaded guilty today to stealing firearms from a local store.
Joe Louis Anderson, 53, of Winnfield, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms dealer. Evidence introduced at the hearing established that during the early morning hours of July 25, 2019, Anderson unlawfully entered the Governor’s Affair store and stole five firearms from the firearm display case. The store had surveillance video of Anderson stealing the firearms and leaving the store with them.
Anderson has a lengthy criminal history, with previous convictions for second degree burglary and possession of stolen vehicle (1991); possession of stolen vehicle and larceny (1992); second degree burglary and knowingly concealing stolen property (1995); larceny of an automobile (1997); and possession of contraband in penal institution (1998).
Anderson faces 10 years in prison, not more than three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for December 4, 2020 at 11:00.
The ATF and Winnfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
