Forest Sentencing
NEW ROADS MAN CONVICTED BY JURY OF POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Donald J. Cazayoux, Jr. announced that a federal jury convicted JAHAR R. FOREST, age 29, of New Roads, Louisiana, on the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ralph E. Tyson presided over the trial.
On November 12, 2009, law enforcement officials with the New Roads Police Department and Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of shots being fired. Officers attempted to contact FOREST and a foot chase ensued. Officers ran after FOREST, who was carrying a rifle, and later found him hiding underneath a raised shed in his backyard. Officers also located a loaded Ruger Model Mini 14, with one cartridge in the chamber, along the neighboring back fence.
After a four-day trial, a jury convicted FOREST of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. FOREST faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release. FOREST has two prior felony convictions, including possession of cocaine in 2000 and attempted felon in possession of a firearm in 2005.
The case was investigated by Alton Cambre of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF), the New Roads Police Department, and the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Susan C. Amundson and Michael J. Jefferson.
United States Attorney Cazayoux remarked, “This trial demonstrates the effectiveness of our office working closely with ATF and local police departments under Project Safe Neighborhood in order to identify and prosecute convicted felons who illegally possess firearms.”
