New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Gun

Published 11:18 am Thursday, February 2, 2023

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MORRIS SUMMERS, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2023 before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to a one count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court records, SUMMERS was previously convicted  in another federal case before Judge Morgan for conspiring to distribute crack and conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  On June 26, 2022, SUMMERS possessed a Springfield Armory Model Hellcat, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Judge Morgan set sentencing for April 27, 2023.  SUMMERS faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000  up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment  and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

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.

This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.