Louisiana Man Sentenced to Jail for Illegal Silencer Possession
After a two and a half year investigation, an Elm Grove man was sentenced on June 20 in Federal Court in Shreveport to two years in a federal penitentiary for illegal possession of a silencer.
Senior Judge Tom Stagg of the U.S. Western District Court accepted Brett Roberts’, 52, guilty plea to the federal charge of possessing a homemade silencer and sentenced him to two years in a federal jail and three years of supervised probation.
LDWF Enforcement Division agents initiated the investigation in November of 2009 after receiving multiple tips that Roberts was illegally night hunting in the Bossier and Webster parish areas. LDWF undercover agents were able to make contact with Roberts and tag along during some of his illegal hunts and witnessed other illegal activities.
LDWF undercover agents discovered that Roberts was using a homemade silencer on a .22 caliber rifle to kill deer at night and out of season. Undercover agents witnessed Roberts hunt from a public road from his vehicle and sell deer meat. Undercover agents also purchased methamphetamines, a stolen boat motor and a rifle silencer from Roberts.
On Jan. 31, 2011, LDWF and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents executed a search warrant of Roberts’ residence and charged Roberts with 228 counts of illegal activities. Roberts was subsequently booked into the Bossier Max Detention Center in Bossier Parish and the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center in Webster Parish.
On July 12, 2011, Roberts pled guilty to the following state charges in Bossier Parish; illegal possession of stolen things, possession of drug paraphernalia, hunting with an illegal firearm, hunting deer with illegal methods, hunting and taking deer during illegal hours and hunting from a public road. Judge Ford Stinson of the 26th District Court sentenced Roberts to serve six months in jail in the Bossier Parish Jail with three months suspended, a $3,000 fine, restitution of $5,300, two years of supervised probation and a five year hunting ban.
On Aug. 5, 2011 Roberts pled guilty to the following state charges in Webster Parish; possession of drug paraphernalia, taking deer during illegal hours, possession of untagged deer, failing to maintain sex identification of deer, failing to tag deer and possession of illegally taken deer. Judge Bruce Bolin of the 26th District Court in Benton, La. Sentenced Roberts to 18 months in the Webster Parish Jail of which six months were suspended, a $3,000 fine, restitution of $5,300 and two years of supervised probation. Roberts must also forfeit his hunting privileges.
The jail, probation and restitution charges for each parish run concurrently bringing the total state punishment for Roberts to 12 months of jail, a $6,000 fine, a $5,300 restitution charge and two years of probation.
LDWF agents assisting undercover agents in the case were Senior Agents Jared McIver, Cullom Schexnyder, Wesley Duck, Bryant Coburn, Michael Dunn and Joey Melton; Sgts. Mike Kelley and Ryan Brashier; and Lt. Kenny Balkom.
Prosecuting the state charges were Assistant District Attorneys Sherb Sentell for Webster Parish and Santi Parks for Bossier Parish. U.S. Assistant District Attorney Robert France prosecuted the federal charge.
