Duane A. Evans, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
A Jefferson Parish resident, Jazz Gilds, 39, has been sentenced to 108 months in prison following his guilty plea to federal gun and drug charges. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing on January 30, 2025, by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
Gilds faced charges for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine under Title 21 of the United States Code and being a felon in possession of firearms under Title 18. The sentences for both counts will run concurrently.
Judge Vitter also imposed a three-year supervised release period and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee on Gilds.
Court documents revealed that Gilds was involved in an altercation at a hotel in Jefferson Parish before fleeing in a stolen vehicle. He was later apprehended by deputies from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office after attempting to escape on foot. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of firearms, including a Ruger Model P942 pistol and a stolen Anderson Manufacturing rifle, along with illegal narcotics found in his hotel room.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program focuses on building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.
