U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
St. Bernard Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Violating the Federal Gun Control Act
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On July 12, 2023, United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced DAWAYNE BOUTAIN, age 29, a resident of Violet, to a statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court records, BOUTAIN arrived at an apartment in Violet as St. Bernard Parish officers were about to execute a search warrant. BOUTAIN was found in possession of a Ruger magazine with 10 live rounds. He had previously been convicted of four separate felonies and was federally prohibited from possessing guns or ammunition.
Judge Africk also ordered that BOUTAIN serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison and pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sherriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
Contact
Shane M. Jones
Public Information Officer
United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
United States Department of Justice
Updated July 13, 2023
Topic
Project Safe Neighborhoods