Press Releases
THIRD DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR SERIES OF ARMED ROBBERIES
June 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MICHAEL DECLOUET, age 28, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood R. Duval to 240 months imprisonment, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
DECLOUET and two other defendants, Gary Woods and Omar Pierre, were responsible for committing a slew of armed robberies throughout the greater New Orleans metropolitan area, including the Faubourg Marigny, the Bywater and the French Quarter. Among the places the three subjects armed robbed were the popular Marigny bar, Mimi’s, Tangos, Hobnobbers, Sugar Park Tavern, Marlene’s, Autozone, Advance Auto, and Studio 440.
DECLOUET pled guilty to four of the five counts from an eight-count indictment dated May 25, 2007. DECLOUET pled guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 1951 (Hobbs Act armed robbery), 18 U.S.C. § 1951 (conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act armed robbery), 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2) (felon in possession of a firearm), and 18 U.S.C. §2119 (carjacking). The first and second counts carry a maximum statutory penalty of twenty (20) years incarceration; the third count carries a maximum statutory penalty of ten (10) years incarceration; and the fourth count carries a maximum statutory penalty of fifteen (15) years incarceration. DECLOUET was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years incarceration.
DECLOUET has three prior felony convictions - a 1998 and a 1999 conviction from Orleans Parish for burglary of an inhabited dwelling, and a 2002 conviction from Jefferson Parish for carjacking.
Omar Pierre was previously sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood R. Duval to 186 months imprisonment. Gary Woods was previously sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to 218 months imprisonment.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with members of the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Privitera of the Violent Crime Unit.
