“Seventh Ward Soldier” Sentenced to New Term of Imprisonment (DOJ)

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - LESHAWN PARKER ("PARKER") was sentenced by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance on May 13, 2026, to serve a total of 60 months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. This 60-month sentence was ordered to be served consecutive to the 37 months sentence that Parker received earlier this year from United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for the revocation of a previous term of Supervised Release, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

PARKER had previously been convicted by a jury following a 1999 trial, in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base and Cocaine Hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Evidence at that trial proved that he was part of a violent street gang known as the Seventh Ward Soldiers. This gang was responsible for several drug related murders and shootings in New Orleans. After being convicted, PARKER was sentenced to life in prison as to the drug conspiracy charge and a consecutive 60-month sentence for the firearm violation. He was also sentenced to serve 60 months of supervised release.

In 2021 his life sentence for Count 1 was reduced to 220 months pursuant to the First Step Act. His 60-month consecutive sentence was not disturbed. Parker was released from federal custody on December 1, 2021.

In his most recent case, on January 10, 2023, PARKER was arrested by members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) after officers observed him in possession of a firearm. PARKER initially fled on foot from the officers and discarded his firearm over the fence onto the practice field of St. Augustine High School. The incident was captured on the officer's body worn camera, and the firearm was recovered. PARKER was initially booked on state charges but made bond shortly thereafter.

On May 3, 2024, PARKER was once again arrested by NOPD officers after he refused to pull his car over on a traffic violation. While resisting arrest, officers observed a gun on the floorboard of PARKER'S vehicle. A search incident to arrest revealed that PARKER was also in possession of several rocks of crack cocaine and several hundred dollars in small bills. PARKER admitted to having the intent to distribute the cocaine.

Federal prosecutors adopted both January 10, 2023, and May 3, 2024, state charges and charged PARKER in Federal Court.

This case was investigated by Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A.T.F.) and members of the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Violent Crime Unit.

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.