Cyril Hoffman, Jr., a 27-year-old resident of New Orleans, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on November 12, 2025. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion and includes five years of supervised release and a $400 mandatory special assessment fee. Hoffman had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and receipt of a firearm while under indictment.
Court documents show that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at Hoffman's residence on August 20, 2021. During the search, agents recovered marijuana intended for distribution and six firearms from Hoffman's bedroom. The weapons included multiple semi-automatic pistols and rifles loaded with high-capacity magazines.
Prior to the FBI search, Hoffman had been indicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for six felony offenses, including four counts of attempted second degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit second degree murder. After his arrest on these charges, he bonded out in June 2022.
On October 25, 2022, while still under indictment and awaiting trial in Orleans Parish, deputies from the United States Marshals Service found Hoffman inside a motel room in New Orleans East. A Glock .40 caliber firearm was discovered in the room; although Hoffman denied ownership at the time, later evidence showed he admitted possession through messages sent to a third party.
While on bond, Hoffman continued selling marijuana. On May 17, 2023, FBI agents executed another search warrant at his new residence and found additional marijuana along with digital scales and packaging materials for distribution.
"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. 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," according to the statement.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman prosecuted the case as part of the Violent Crime Unit.
