WDLA News Round-up for September 2021
Four Defendants Sentenced in Federal Court
MONROE, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the resolution of four cases today in United States District Court in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the following individuals today:
Devonte Oshay Gater, 29, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced 70 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm. On April 6, 2020, officers with the Monroe Police Department responded to a 911 call complaining that an unknown person jumped into someone’s car threatening to rob someone nearby and shoot up the street. When officer arrived, they found Gater sitting in the backseat of the car. When ordered to get out of the car, Gater told officers he could not walk due to wounds suffered in a shooting a few days prior. Officers opened the door and Gater inched his way down to the ground. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a loaded revolver in the front passenger seat under a t-shirt. The female vehicle owner told officers the gun was not hers and that she had seen Gater brandishing the weapon prior to the arrival of the officers.
Gater has previous felony convictions for simple robbery (2011); theft of a motor vehicle and simple burglary (2015); and simple burglary (2018). As a convicted felon, Gater is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The ATF and Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Rayyun Derrell Sledge, 43, of Winnsboro, Louisiana, was sentenced 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Sledge was convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence in June 1999 and signed documentation acknowledging the waiver of his rights at that time. On May 8, 2020, Sledge went to Mike’s Gun Shop in Winnsboro to purchase a firearm. When completing ATF Form 4473 in connection with his attempted purchase of a pistol, Sledge signed the form certifying that his answers were true, correct and complete. A question on the form asked, “[h]ave you ever been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence?” Sledge checked “no” to the question and signed his name, knowing that his answer was false. This false response from Sledge misled and deceived Mike’s Gun shop into making the sale of the firearm to him. Sledge was charged and pled guilty on May 28, 2021.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick prosecuted the case.
John Edward McIntyre, 37, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced 180 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of drugs and a firearm. On January 12, 2020, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on McIntyre for multiple traffic violations. Deputies noticed a digital scale in the cup holder of the vehicle. A K-9 officer alerted to the odor of illegal drugs coming from the Tahoe that McIntyre was driving, and deputies conducted a search of the vehicle. Inside the Tahoe, deputies found a backpack which contained a magnetic box with approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine, Clonazepam, Xanax and Concerta tablets, a hydrocodone tablet, 10 grams of marijuana, a large amount of cash, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol. At one point, law enforcement officers learned that McIntyre was distributing illegal drugs from a house located across the street from the West Monroe High School stadium. McIntyre was charged in this case with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and he pled guilty to the charges on May 25, 2021.
The DEA, ATF, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody prosecuted the case.
Benjamin Strong, 39, Mangham, Louisiana, was sentenced to 125 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The vehicle Strong was driving was stopped by Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies on January 17, 2020. Strong gave deputies consent to search the vehicle and they found methamphetamine and three handguns inside. Strong admitted to driving his co-defendant around the Monroe in exchange for money and methamphetamine. He further admitted to meeting with multiple people to sell narcotics and to taking his co-defendant to a supplier to purchase more methamphetamine. Strong was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and pled guilty to the charge on May 25, 2021.
The DEA, ATF, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moody prosecuted the case.
