A New Orleans man has pleaded guilty to carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Xavier Johnson, 24, entered his plea on July 22, 2025, to two counts from an indictment. Johnson admitted to carjacking under 18 U.S.C. §2119(2) and possessing a firearm as a felon under 18 U.S.C. §§922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2025.
Johnson faces up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the carjacking charge, with up to three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. For the firearm possession charge, he could receive up to ten years in prison, another $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and another $100 special assessment fee.
The charges stem from an incident on January 20, 2020. Officers from the New Orleans Police Department responded to an armed robbery and shooting at a residence on Laharpe Street. The victim had been shot in the leg after being confronted by two masked men with guns while exiting his vehicle. According to police reports, both suspects ordered the victim and his girlfriend out of their vehicle before gunfire was exchanged. The victim returned fire with his own weapon before being shot by Johnson, who then fled with the other suspect.
Police later found weapons at the scene and learned that Johnson had arrived at University Medical Center seeking treatment for gunshot wounds. Officers performed a gunshot residue test on Johnson that returned positive results and seized his property while he was in surgery. After further investigation, Johnson was arrested and transported from the hospital to jail.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. "On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives along with the New Orleans Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins is prosecuting.
