Daniel Hankton, age 34, was sentenced on April 14 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, according to United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. The sentencing took place before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
Hankton received a sentence of 60 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address violent crime and illegal firearms possession in the community.
According to the press release, New Orleans Police Department detectives had been seeking Hankton in connection with an aggravated assault that occurred on February 5, 2025. On March 12, officers identified him near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and South Rampart Street while he was walking with his girlfriend. Officers observed that Hankton was carrying a concealed handgun and subsequently arrested him at the scene. A loaded Glock Model 17 nine-millimeter pistol was recovered from his waistband; further inspection revealed that part of the firearm had been reported stolen out of Jefferson Parish.
Courcelle praised the work of both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Orleans Police Department on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell prosecuted the matter as part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative designed to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts such as those led by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana enhances community safety through law enforcement efforts according to its official website. The office operates under the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website and is responsible for enforcing federal laws as well as prosecuting criminal cases according to its official website. The U.S. Attorney is appointed by the President with Senate approval according to its official website, serves as chief federal law enforcement officer for Southeast Louisiana according to its official website, prosecutes criminal cases, defends civil matters, handles debt collection for the government, and works toward protecting residents within Southeast Louisiana according to its official website.
Operation Take Back America represents broader efforts by federal authorities aimed at improving public safety through targeted prosecution strategies.
