Press Releases
SECOND PUGLIA’S DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO 56 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR GUN VIOLATIONS
March 19, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOSHUA WATSON, 20, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Helen G. Berrigan to fifty-six (56) months imprisonment for stealing firearms from a federal licensed firearms dealer (FFL) and receiving, possessing, and disposing of stolen firearms, announced U. S Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Berrigan 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.
According to court records, on January 1, 2007, Puglia’s Sporting Goods was burglarized and approximately 117 weapons were stolen. Puglia’s Sporting Goods suffered a total loss of $64,214.02 as a result of the burglary. WATSON participated in the theft of approximately forty (40) of those firearms. Co-defendants Kelvin Marshall, Gregory Rhinehart, Brandon Polk and Orlando Young are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2008 at 9:00 A.M.
The case was prosecuted by the Assistant U. S. Attorneys Steve Loew and Richard W. Rose of the Project Safe Neighborhoods/Violent Crime Unit which is led by Assistant United States Attorney Duane Evans. U. S. Attorney Jim Letten praised the efforts of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the NOPD, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who investigated the Puglia’s burglary.
