A New Orleans man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wardell Fletcher, 49, received the sentence on July 29, 2025, from United States District Judge Brandon S. Long after pleading guilty to the charge.
The prison term will be served consecutively with any pending state sentence. Upon release, Fletcher will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Court documents show that on December 27, 2023, Fletcher possessed a Taurus Model 608 .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms. After an altercation at a Circle K gas station in New Orleans, Fletcher used the weapon to shoot another individual.
The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by coordinating efforts among law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department of Justice launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021. This strategy focuses on building community trust and legitimacy, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it starts, prioritizing targeted enforcement actions, and tracking outcomes through data-driven approaches (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-launches-new-effort-reduce-violent-crime).
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson commented: "I praise the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department." Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell prosecuted the case as part of the Violent Crime Unit.
