New Orleans Man Sentenced on Federal Weapons Charges

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –  SHAWN BREAUX, age 29, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance to 69 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty  to a  two-count indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. 

In Count 1 of the indictment, BREAUX is charged with illegally possessing firearms as a felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). Count 2 of the indictment charged BREAUX with being in possession of a machine gun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). 

On October 8, 2021, officers responded to a shooting in the 100 block of Carondelet Street and saw BREAUX fleeing the scene BREAUX was eventually detained in the French Quarter after driving the wrong way down Royal Street. Investigators located two firearms, one in BREAUX’s vehicle and another discarded as he fled from the officers. A Glock switch mechanism was attached to one of the firearms, making it into a fully automatic weapon.

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.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.