New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on July 30, 2024, TROY LOCKE, age 34 of New Orleans, pled guilty on July 30, 2024, before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a superseding indictment charging LOCKE with various gun and drug violations.  

Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 of that indictment charged LOCKE with distributing cocaine base, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  Count 5 charged LOCKE with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  Count 8 and 9 charged LOCKE with being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1).

According to public records, the drug charges stemmed from controlled purchases of crack cocaine that the ATF conducted on July 25, 2023, July 28, 2023, August 4, 2023, August 8, 2023, August 11, 2023, August 17, 2023.  All the purchases were recorded.  LOCKE had a gun in his lap during the August 8, 2023 purchase.  During the August 17, 2023, crack cocaine deal charged in Count 7, the ATF undercover agent asked about buying guns from LOCKE.  LOCKE declined to sell the pistol he had during the August 8, 2023, crack cocaine sale, saying he could not be without it.  Not long after the August 17, 2023, deal, however, LOCKE called and said he had a rifle that he could sell.  The ATF agent agreed and then met with LOCKE at the same place where the crack cocaine sale had just occurred.  LOCKE sold the ATF agent an AR style rifle for $1,000.  The ATF executed a search warrant at LOCKE’s residence on August 18, 2023, and found him in possession of two more firearms.

 As  to Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 LOCKE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.  As to Count 5, LOCKE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years up to life that must run consecutively to all other sentences, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.  As to Counts 8 and 9, LOCKE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.  All counts require payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

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 track 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.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department.  United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator, handled the prosecution.