Five Former New Orleans Police Officers Plead Guilty and are Sentenced in the Danziger Bridge Shooting Case

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced today that five former officers of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) pled guilty and were sentenced in connection with the federal civil rights prosecution of a police-involved shooting that occurred on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.  That shooting left two innocent civilians dead and four others seriously wounded.  The defendants also pled guilty and were sentenced for their roles in an extensive cover-up of the shooting.

KENNETH BOWEN pled guilty to Counts 1, 11, and 20; deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice by engaging in misleading conduct, respectively.  BOWEN was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release on Counts 1 and 11, and up to three years as to Count 20.

ROBERT GISEVIUS pled guilty to Counts 1, 11, and 21; deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice by engaging in misleading conduct, respectively.  GISEVIUS was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release on Counts 1 and 11, and up to three years as to Count 21. 

ROBERT FAULCON pled guilty to Counts 8, 11, and 22; deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice by engaging in misleading conduct, respectively.  FAULCON was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release on Counts 8 and 11, and up to three years as to Count 22. 

ANTHONY VILLAVASO pled guilty to Counts 1, 11, and 23; deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice by engaging in misleading conduct, respectively.  VILLAVASO was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release on Counts 1 and 11, and up to three years as to Count 23. 

ARTHUR KAUFMAN pled guilty to Counts 11 and 17, conspiracy to obstruct justice and falsification of evidence to obstruct justice, respectively.  KAUFMAN was sentenced to three years imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release as to Count 11, and up to five years as to Count 17. 

The defendants are each assessed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 as to each count.