New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Weapons Violations
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On March 8, 2023, CHRISTIAN GUITY, age 26, a resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty to three counts of a four-count indictment for federal drug and weapons violations, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 1 charged GUITY with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance. Count 2 charged GUITY with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Finally, Count 3 charged GUITY with possession of a machine gun. GUITY’s sentencing is set for June 7, 2023.
As to Count 1 of the indictment that charges GUITY with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D), he faces a maximum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and at least 2 years of supervised release. Additionally, in Count 1, GUITY is charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C). For this charge, GUITY faces a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to Count 2 that charges GUITY with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1), he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a period of up to 5 years supervised release. Finally, as to Count 3 that charges GUITY with possessing a machine gun in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o), he faces a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a period of up to 3 years of supervised release. For each count of conviction, GUITY must pay 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 praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
