A New Orleans resident, Lawrence Watkins, 27, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for drug and weapons offenses. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon. Watkins will also serve four years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Watkins previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. These offenses are violations of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), as well as Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, the charges stem from an incident on June 22, 2023. On that day, Louisiana State Police troopers and members of the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force were conducting patrols in Algiers to address violent crime. They attempted to stop a suspicious Dodge Durango vehicle that then fled the scene and crashed into a utility pole. Watkins and other occupants ran from the vehicle but were later apprehended by law enforcement officers.
After Watkins was taken into custody, officers recovered his backpack containing a Century Arms Micro Draco pistol, several rounds of ammunition, $1,053 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson stated: "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."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force and Louisiana State Police investigated this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger and Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel prosecuted it.
