Guilty Pleas Entered for Illegal Straw Purchase
of Firearm
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — TROY DUPRE, age 29, and KATIE ANN BOUDREAUX, age 27, both residents of Chauvin, Louisiana, pled guilty today before U. S. District Court Sarah S. Vance, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
DUPRE, a previously convicted felon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to acquire a firearm by providing a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer, thus illegally obtaining a .40 caliber, Smith and Wesson pistol.
BOUDREAUX pleaded guilty to a superseding bill of information for misprision of a felony for being aware of DUPRE’s illegal possession of the firearm and failing to report it to an appropriate authority of the United States.
Agents with the Louisiana State Police arrested DUPRE on September 13, 2010 and confiscated the firearm. An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined that BOUDREAUX actively assisted DUPRE in acquiring the firearm on July 16, 2010 from Academy Sports and Outdoors, a federally licensed firearms dealer, located in Houma, Louisiana. ATF has been targeting the illegal diversion of firearms from legal commerce by third party straw purchasers
to prohibited individuals.
U. S. Attorney Jim Letten stated:
In order to protect the safety of our citizens and the recovery of our community; and recognizing the constitutional right of law abiding citizens to legally acquire and possess firearms, the U. S. Department of Justice, including the U. S. Attorney’s Office, ATF and our enforcement partners, will continue to fairly and enthusiastically enforce federal laws which prohibit the possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felons, and which further prohibit individuals from falsifying federal forms in an attempt to fraudulently arm convicted felons throughstraw purchases.Today’s case is yet another clear signal that prosecuting prohibited persons and those who assist them in illegally obtaining firearms is an important part of our strategy to reduce gun crime.
DUPRE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, maximum fines of $250,000 and a term of supervised release following imprisonment of three (3) years. BOUDREAUX, faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, maximum fines of $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release following imprisonment of one (1) year. Judge Vance ordered pre–sentence investigations and reports for the court and set DUPRE’s sentencing for June 27, 2012 and BOUDREAUX’s sentencing for June 13, 2012. DUPRE was remanded to jail pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by agents for the Department of Justice, Bureau of Firearms, Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney, Tony Gordon Sanders.
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