St. Tammany Man Indicted for Violation of the Federal Gun Control Act
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MATTHEW LAURENT, age 21, a resident of St. Tammany Parish, was indicted on June 9, 2023 for possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, on or about December 16, 2022, LAURENT, possessed machineguns, that is three (3) Glock auto-sears and two (2) swift links, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
If convicted of possessing a machine gun, LAURENT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Greg M. Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
