A New Orleans man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for drug and weapons offenses. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Lawrence Watkins, 27, received a sentence of 72 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2023, members of the Louisiana State Police and the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force were conducting patrols in the Algiers area as part of efforts to address violent crime. Law enforcement attempted to stop a suspicious Dodge Durango, which then fled and crashed into a utility pole. The occupants, including Watkins, ran from the scene but were apprehended shortly after.
Following Watkins’s arrest, officers recovered his backpack containing a Century Arms Micro Draco pistol, ammunition, over $1,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia, and quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN,” according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force and Louisiana State Police. Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger and Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel prosecuted the case.
