Renard Santiago, a 19-year-old from New Orleans, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter handed down the sentence on May 13, 2025. Following his prison term, Santiago will serve four years of supervised release and pay a mandatory $400 special assessment fee. Santiago had previously pleaded guilty to several charges: conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a machinegun.
Court documents reveal that Santiago was wanted by the FBI and New Orleans Police Department for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023. On December 25, 2023, surveillance footage captured him firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached before fleeing in a stolen SUV. Investigators found social media posts showing Santiago with a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with cash, and advertising marijuana sales.
A search warrant executed at his residence led officers to find Santiago hiding in the attic for four hours before he surrendered. Inside the attic were his handgun with the conversion device still attached, marijuana intended for distribution, and over $400 in cash.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The program emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.
