Bridge City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Machine Gun and Obstruction of Justice

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that RENE LADMIRAULT, age 21, a resident of Bridge City, Louisiana, pled guilty to a two-count federal indictment .

In Count 1, LADMIRAULT was charged with Possession of a Machine Gun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o)(1) and 924(a)(2).  For this charge, LADMIRAULT faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 3 years.

In Count 2, LADMIRAULT was charged with Obstruction of Justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1). For this charge, LADMIRAULT faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 3 years. For each count, LADMIRAULT faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

According to court records, beginning in January 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force (“FBI NOVCTF”) and the New Orleans Police Department Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team (“NOPD VCAIT”) initiated an investigation into the proliferation of machine gun conversion devices. These devices are commonly referred to as “Glock switches” or “auto sears.”

Law enforcement officers initially identified LADMIRAULT as a manufacturer of machine gun conversion devices in February 2022 through the execution of a search warrant of LADMIRAULT’s Instagram account. While reviewing LADMIRAULT’s account, officers located numerous text messages referencing the sale of the machine gun conversion devices.

On August 10, 2022, a federal search warrant was executed at LADMIRAULT’s residence.  LADMIRAULT was inside the residence when FBI agents arrived and, in response, LADMIRAULT flushed a conversion device down the toilet to conceal the device from the FBI. During the search, agents located, a vertical CNC milling machine, and a box containing two black pieces of plastic, items believed to be used in the manufacturing of machine gun conversion devices.  LADMIRAULT admitted to manufacturing 3D printed machine gun conversion devices, which he sold for approximately $100.00.  LADMIRAULT also admitted to having manufactured the broken conversion device located inside of his residence.

United States District Judge, Carl J. Barbier, will sentence LADMIRAULT on September 14, 2023.

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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.