Department of Justice

NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on Nov. 2, Tyki Clayton, 21, of Lutcher, pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).

Clayton faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

According to public records, on March 28, 2022, Clayton was the passenger in a vehicle driving in Lutcher. When Clayton’s vehicle did not come to a full stop at an intersection, a St. James Parish deputy initiated a lawful traffic stop. The deputy approached the vehicle and found Clayton in the front passenger seat reaching between his legs into a backpack. The driver stated that she did not have her license. After receiving Clayton’s driver’s license information, the deputy learned that Clayton had an outstanding arrest warrant. After searching the vehicle, the deputy recovered a Glock firearm from the backpack located between Clayton’s legs. Clayton admitted knowing that the firearm was equipped with an auto-sear making it a fully automatic machinegun.

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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice 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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit handled the prosecution.

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