A New Orleans man, Avery Julien, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson on March 12, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Julien will face three years of supervised release and must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long handed down the sentence after Julien pled guilty on October 29, 2024.
The charges stem from a search conducted on September 14, 2022, at Julien's residence by deputies from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and officers from the New Orleans Police Department. Authorities executed the search warrant after suspecting Julien's involvement in a carjacking incident in Jefferson Parish. During the search, two firearms were found in his bedroom: a Sig Sauer Model P229 and a Sig Sauer Model P250, both .40 caliber semi-automatic pistols. DNA evidence linked Julien to these weapons.
Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms. In 2018, Julien was convicted of felonies in two separate cases within Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and was aware of his status as a convicted felon when he possessed the firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building community trust, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with local law enforcement agencies including the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
