Press Releases
NEW ORLEANS MAN SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR GUN VIOLATION
February 7, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KERMIT HARTZOG, age 23, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Lance Africk to thirty (30) months of imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Africk imposed three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. During the three-year term, the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
On February 7, 2008, HARTZOG previously entered a guilty plea before Judge Africk admitting that on August 23, 2007, he illegally carried a .380 caliber semiautomatic firearm, which he attempted to discard as New Orleans police officers approached him during proactive patrol in the 4400 block of Gawain Street. On November 23, 2004, HARTZOG was convicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for his third marijuana possession offense. Based on this conviction, HARTZOG was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The Court imposed a sentence within the recommended guidelines range. After sentencing, HARTZOG was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service to begin his term of imprisonment.
This investigation was handled by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abe McGull pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the top domestic enforcement priority designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate violent gun crime in our communities.
