Man Sentenced for Lying to Federal Grand Jury and Violating Federal Gun Control Act

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAMES HEIGLE, age 41, of St. Tammany Parish, was sentenced on September 28, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 4, 5, and 6 of the superseding indictment handed down by a federal grand jury, charging him with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1623, 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), 931, and 924(a)(7), respectively.  As to the charges for false declarations before a grand jury and felon in possession of a firearm, HEIGLE was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.  As to the charge of violent felon in possession of body armor, HEIGLE was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment, 1 year of  supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  All sentences are to run concurrently with each other. 

Between May 8 – 29, 2019, HEIGLE possessed multiple firearms and a bullet-proof vest.  Prior to May 2019, HEIGLE had been convicted of a violent felony in Jefferson Parish, that precluded him from possessing firearms and a bullet-proof vest.

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.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.