A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Christopher Dante Karo, 34, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. On March 11, 2025, U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale sentenced him to 60 months in federal prison.
Court records indicate that on April 3, 2024, law enforcement observed Karo during a drug transaction in Port Arthur. After leaving the scene with two minors in his vehicle, he was stopped for speeding. During the stop, Karo lacked a driver's license and was asked to step out of the vehicle. Officers noticed a bottle containing what appeared to be PCP under their patrol car where Karo had been standing. Video evidence suggested that Karo dropped and kicked the bottle under the car during the traffic stop. A subsequent search of his vehicle uncovered a pistol beneath the driver's seat with an extended magazine holding 17 rounds of ammunition; the firearm had been reported stolen from Port Arthur.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The program emphasizes fostering trust and legitimacy within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
The investigation was conducted by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn prosecuted the case.