United States of America v. Tyshon Coleman

TYSHON COLEMAN (“COLEMAN”), age 28, a resident of Hammond, La., pleaded guilty to Counts Three and Five of an indictment, charging him with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts. In Count Three, COLEMAN is charged with possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count Five, COLEMAN is charged with possession of machine guns, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 922(o)(1) and 924(a)(2). For Count Three, COLEMAN was sentenced to imprisonment for 60 months. For Count Five, COLEMAN was sentenced to imprisonment for 46 months. The sentences in Counts Three and Five were ordered to run consecutively.

On May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department went the Walmart Supercenter after receiving a complaint that a male, later identified as COLEMAN, was in possession of a firearm. Once at the parking lot, officers saw COLEMAN and another male seated inside of a vehicle. When officers ordered COLEMAN to show his hands, he refused to comply. After removing COLEMAN from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun with a Glock machine gun conversion device and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, tucked between the passenger seat and the center console.

The officers also saw a red backpack in the front passenger seat area where COLEMAN was seated, and a green backpack on the adjoining floorboard. Upon opening the red bag, the officers found another Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter pistol, with a machine gun conversion device, as well as marijuana, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and a digital scale.

On the driver’s side floorboard, officers located a drum Model F5MFG, nine-millimeter caliber magazine, and a green backpack containing cocaine hydrochloride and marijuana.

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.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to a term of imprisonment for 106 months. Following imprisonment, COLEMAN also faces 3 years of supervised release and payment of a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.