New Orleans Man Indicted for Being Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - CORTEZ JOHNSON ("JOHNSON"), age 42, was indicted on January 9, 2026, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and for being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

According to the indictment, JOHNSON possessed a firearm and ammunition after previously being convicted of human trafficking in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and aggravated assault on a family member in Harris County, Texas.

As to each count, JOHNSON faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.