Seven Defendants Sentenced to a Total of 41+ Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Narcotics (DOJ)

MONROE, La. - Seven defendants were sentenced this week in the Monroe Division for illegal possession of firearms and narcotics, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the defendants as follows:

• Adrien Marcel Brown, 44, of St. Joseph, Louisiana was sentenced to 126 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On April 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of the residence of Brown and Andrea Lenae Bass, Brown's co-defendant. Agents found methamphetamine inside the home. The suspected narcotics were sent to the crime lab for analysis and confirmed to be over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. Brown pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024.
• Bobby R. Thompson, 45, of Monroe, was sentenced to 68 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On March 21, 2024, Monroe Police Department officers detained Thompson due to an active arrest warrant as well as a battery investigation. Thompson was found to be in possession of a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol and ammunition. Thompson was a convicted felon and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition and was arrested. He pleaded guilty to the charge on September 18, 2024.
• Desmond Copeland, 37, of Monroe, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a domestic complaint involving Copeland on April 6, 2024. Deputies found Copeland to be in possession of a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 9mm pistol and ammunition. As a convicted felon, Copeland was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition. He pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024.
• Shawn M. Robertson, 39, of Monroe, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In August 2023, a Louisiana State Police trooper attempted to stop Robertson's vehicle for speeding. The trooper lost sight of Robertson for a short time but found him in a nearby driveway. Robertson was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. The trooper found a loaded 9mm magazine on the floorboard of the vehicle. Meanwhile, another trooper was stopped by a passing motorist who stated that he had found an abandoned pistol on the road. Law enforcement officers investigated further and learned that the magazine in Robertson's vehicle fit the pistol found on the road and learned that Robertson's girlfriend had purchased the Taurus G2C firearm approximately 85 days before. In addition, their investigation confirmed that Robertson had the firearm in his possession before ejecting it from the vehicle onto the roadway. Robertson pleaded guilty on September 16, 2024, and admitted to knowing he was in possession of the firearm despite being prohibited from doing so.
• Dylan Cueto, 33, of West Monroe, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On April 12, 2024, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the residence of Cueto. Deputies found him in possession of a Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield pistol, a Marlin 12-gauge shotgun, a Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, and ammunition. Cueto pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, and admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition knowing he was prohibited from doing so.
• Dequarius Dequan Bailey, 30, of Monroe, was sentenced to 68 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In December 2023, Monroe Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Bailey's residence and found a DPMS A-15 223-5.56mm rifle loaded with a high-capacity drum magazine hidden under his bed. Law enforcement officers also found a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol hidden in the bathroom. Bailey was arrested and admitted to possessing the firearms despite the fact that he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing them. Bailey pleaded guilty to the charge on April 19, 2024.
• Dalton W. Knight, 24, of West Monroe, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On February 11, 2023, an individual sold a Savage rifle to a pawn shop in West Monroe. An investigation by Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office determined that the firearm had previously been stolen. Deputies interviewed the individual that sold the firearm and learned that he had purchased it from another individual and that had traded with Knight for the firearm on December 31, 2022. Knight admitted to possessing the rifle and trading it. He pleaded guilty to the charge on September 24, 2024, and admitted to knowing that as a convicted felon he was prohibited from having any firearm in his possession.

"There is a reason why crime is down in Monroe and the surrounding area," said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. "In partnering with our local district attorney's offices and law enforcement agencies, we are highly focused on targeting the right offenders and seeking sentences of imprisonment for those who illegally possess firearms and distribute narcotics in our communities. Our office, the DEA and the ATF will forever appreciate these partnerships which are vital to public safety."

These cases were investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Louisiana State Police, Monroe Police Department and Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Cathy Semmes and Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy, William C. Gaskins, and Mike Shannon prosecuted the cases.

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