A Thibodaux resident, Brett Gabriel, 32, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, providing a false statement to a firearms dealer, and providing a false statement to a federal agency. The sentencing took place on November 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.
According to court documents, Gabriel used stolen identity information both to purchase a firearm and to obtain fraudulent paycheck protection program loan proceeds from the federal government. In addition to his prison sentence, Gabriel will serve three years of supervised release and must pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $300.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson acknowledged the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Secret Service; and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens II from the Financial Crimes Unit led the prosecution.
"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 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." Additional details about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
