United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing of Joseph P. Schwartz, IV, a 21-year-old from Marrero, Louisiana. Schwartz was sentenced on December 17, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion for possessing a machine gun, violating Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). The sentence includes 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Additionally, Schwartz is required to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Court documents reveal that on February 25, 2022, Louisiana State Police troopers patrolling Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras observed two males in an altercation. One of them was identified as Schwartz, who possessed a concealed firearm. As troopers attempted to stop him, Schwartz resisted and fled through the crowd with the gun in hand. Despite repeated commands from law enforcement to halt, he discarded the weapon in a trash can before being apprehended. The recovered firearm was identified as a Glock Model 23 .40 caliber pistol modified with a Glock auto-sear for automatic fire.

This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by uniting various levels of law enforcement with communities. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy to reduce violent crime by strengthening PSN based on principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

U.S. Attorney Evans commended the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Louisiana State Police for their work on this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James N. Ollinger from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.