Department of Justice

LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Xzavier Dyson, 23, of Abbeville, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge R. Summerhays to 42 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on firearms charges.

Dyson was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2021 and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty to the charge on March 23, 2022. The charge stems from an incident that occurred on May 26, 2020 when Dyson was the rear passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation in Abbeville. The driver consented to a search of the vehicle and a pat down search was conducted by law enforcement officers of each occupant of the vehicle. The deputy found a Cobra .380 pistol on Dyson’s person and seized the weapon. Dyson had a previous felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and illegal carrying of a weapon in 2018 and was on probation when this offense occurred. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from having a firearm or ammunition in his possession.

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.