New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Making False Statement During Firearm Purchase

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 8, 2025, the U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced GERNELL HANKTON ("HANKTON"), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, to 135-months imprisonment. As to Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment against him, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), HANKTON was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment per count, to run concurrently. As to Count 3, charging him with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(6) and 924(a)(2), The Court sentenced HANKTON to a term of imprisonment of 15 months imprisonment which runs consecutive to the 120 months imposed in Counts 1 and 2.

Following imprisonment, HANKTON will also be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. HANKTON was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $300.

According to court records, on July 20, 2019, HANKTON was involved in a hit and run vehicular accident when he struck an occupied vehicle in the drive-thru of the McDonald's restaurant located at 2856 Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans. When the victim exited his vehicle, HANKTON and the victim argued. HANKTON then drove away and ran over the victim's girlfriend's foot with his truck. HANKTON also struck a security guard who was standing in parking lot.

The victim pursued HANKTON's truck and called 911. Upon reaching a nearby intersection, HANKTON exited his truck, brandished and fired a .40 caliber firearm approximately seven (7) times at the vehicle occupied by the victim. The victim, however, was not injured.

On August 7, 2019, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) located HANKTON's truck in the 1800 block of Laurel Street. A black firearm was positioned on the floorboard of the truck. HANKTON was observed exiting a nearby residence and was arrested. NOPD obtained a search warrant for HANKTON's truck, and seized the Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol. Ballistic analysis of the firearm and the seven (7) casings recovered from the scene of the shooting confirmed it was the same firearm discharged by HANKTON.

On August 8, 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was notified of an attempted straw purchase of a firearm from the Gurvich Detective Agency, a federal firearms licensee. Gurvich records revealed that HANKTON's then-girlfriend, purchased a Century Arms, Model C39V2 classic pistol and unsuccessfully attempted to pick up the firearm from Gurvich. Later, HANKTON arrived at Gurvich asking for the pistol on behalf of his girlfriend. HANKTON was instructed to have the original purchaser complete the ATF 4473 form.

Days later, HANKTON returned to Gurvich with an ATF 4473 form that he claimed had been completed by his girlfriend as purchaser of the weapon. HANKTON was informed a second time that only A.S. could receive the firearm because she was the listed purchaser on the ATF 4473 form. Days later, a Gurvich employee contacted HANKTON's girlfriend. When contacted by a Gurvich employee, HANKTON's girlfriend admitted that she was not the purchaser of the firearm. Thereafter, HANKTON admitted he was the real purchaser and had made a false statement on the ATF 4473 form to get the pistol. However, HANKTON was not allowed to legally possess, or purchase this weapon since he was a convicted felon

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.