NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on September 19, 2024, TYSHON COLEMAN ("COLEMAN"), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). For this charge, COLEMAN faces a minimum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of supervised release of up to 5 years. COLEMAN also pled guilty to Possession of Machine Guns, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o)(1) and 924(a)(2). COLEMAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment for which he faces up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. For each charge, COLEMAN also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The sentence imposed for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking charge runs consecutively to the sentence imposed for machine gun possession.

According to court records, the Ponchatoula Police Department officers observed COLEMAN sitting in the passenger seat of his car at the Walmart Supercenter located in Ponchatoula, LA. Officers later observed and recovered a Glock-style firearm, in plain view, between the center console and the passenger seat. The firearm was a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter pistol with an extended magazine and machine gun conversion device. This device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully operational machine gun with a single pull of the trigger. The officers also recovered two backpacks, one of which contained a Glock Model 17, nine -millimeter pistol, also affixed with a machine gun conversion device. Each of the backpacks contained various controlled substances including marijuana, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine hydrochloride.

Chief United States District Judge, Nannette Jolivette Brown, will sentence COLEMAN on December 19, 2024.

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 nrighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principals: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occuring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measures the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.