A New Orleans man, Maurice Florant, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for a firearm offense. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier delivered the maximum statutory sentence after Florant pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Post-release, Florant will be on supervised release for three years and must pay a $100 special assessment fee.

Court documents disclosed that on September 5, 2022, Florant and an unknown individual were recorded by a home video camera shooting at two people with pistols while driving a stolen vehicle in New Orleans. Four days later, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies spotted him in another stolen vehicle. A high-speed chase ended when Florant crashed into an apartment complex's air conditioning unit. Although he attempted to flee on foot, deputies arrested him. Two pistols were recovered from the stolen car he drove: a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15 and a CZ Scorpion Model EVO 3 S1 pistol. Ballistic tests confirmed shell casings at the shooting scene matched those from the recovered firearms.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives supported the investigation alongside Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and New Orleans Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through community collaboration. The program focuses on fostering trust within communities and setting strategic enforcement priorities.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans commended the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in this case's resolution. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller led the prosecution.