Two New Orleans Men Plead Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Gun After Felony Convictions

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MICHAEL CONNER, age 22, and ROBERT HALL, age 24, both residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2024, before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk to violations of the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court records, CONNER and HALL each admitted to being arrested by the New Orleans Police Department due to their possession of firearms.  Prior to their arrests, CONNER and HALL were each convicted of felony offenses, with CONNER having a prior conviction for drug trafficking and HALL having prior convictions for attempted robbery, robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.    

Judge Africk set sentencing for June 12, 2024.  CONNER and HALL each face a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 3 years of supervised release, and 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.

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, who is Senior Litigation Counsel at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

*        *        *