Department of Justice

LAFAYETTE, La. – Two men from the Lake Charles, Louisiana area were sentenced today in the U.S. District Court, on firearms charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.  United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the two individuals as follows:

Nathan Allen Boutte, 32, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On June 27, 2020, officers with the Lake Charles Police Department received a complaint that an individual had exited a vehicle with a firearm and approached the complainant’s apartment carrying the weapon. Upon arrival at the scene, officers located the subject and determined it to be Boutte. He was sitting in front of the apartment and officers noticed the odor of PCP emitting from his person and observed his speech was slurred and he appeared to be incoherent and seemed confused. Officers located an AR style rifle nearby and found that it had been modified by the barrel having been cut down and made shorter. Officers learned that Boutte had prior felony convictions and took him into custody. After a period of approximately eight hours had passed and he was sobered up and coherent, officers questioned Boutte about the incident. He admitted to possessing the firearm even though he knew he was prohibited from doing so.  Boutte has prior felony convictions for possession of controlled substances and simple criminal damage to property.

This case was investigated by the ATF and Lake Charles Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.

Nicholas Ryan, 37, of Sulphur, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  On July 7, 2020, a Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for several traffic violations. The vehicle refused to stop and during the pursuit that followed, the deputy observed an object being thrown from the passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was eventually stopped, and Ryan was identified as the driver.  Ryan and a passenger in the vehicle were detained while the deputy searched the area where the object was thrown from the vehicle. The deputy located a Glock 9mm pistol in that area and Ryan admitted that it was his and he had thrown it from the vehicle.  Ryan has a prior felony conviction for aggravated second degree battery (2011) prohibiting him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.

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

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