Lovon White, a 22-year-old resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on July 23, 2025, to ten years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk handed down the sentence after White pleaded guilty to several charges, including possession with intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a machinegun.
Court documents state that White used social media platforms to sell drugs as well as devices designed to convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic firearms. In June 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at White’s home. Agents recovered two pistols equipped with machinegun conversion devices—an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21—as well as quantities of tapentadol and marijuana intended for distribution, drug trafficking supplies, and cash believed to be proceeds from drug sales.
“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.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.
