A man from New Orleans has been sentenced to 92 months in prison for illegal firearm possession. Caresses Perique, 38, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). After his imprisonment, Perique will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that on November 27, 2022, officers from the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) witnessed Perique with a concealed firearm during the annual Lady Buck Jumpers second line on Monroe Street. When approached, Perique attempted to reach for the weapon in his waistband. Officers then secured his hands and found a loaded Ruger P95 handgun with a live round in the chamber and nine live rounds in the magazine. Perique's criminal record, which includes several felony convictions, prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
This legal development is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that aims to decrease violent crime and gun violence by coordinating efforts between various law enforcement agencies and community bodies. The initiative was bolstered on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust with the community, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
