New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILL WILLIS, age 34, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe on February 1, 2024 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1),  announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court records, in June 2023, the New Orleans Police Department was conducting video surveillance in New Orleans, when an officer observed WILLIS with a bulge in his waistband consistent with a firearm.  When police officers responded, WILLIS and another individual ran.  WILLIS attempted to discard his gun but it discharged.  After police arrested  WILLIS,   they found two handguns, along with one spent shell casing, in his flight path.  WILLIS admitted to possessing one of the guns, after having been convicted of four prior felony offenses.  

Judge Ashe set sentencing for May 9, 2024.  WILLIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel  of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.