NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ULYSSES MERCADEL, age 25, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on December 5, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, New Orleans Police officers detained MERCADEL at the Walmart Supercenter on Tchoupitoulas Street, in New Orleans. During a struggle to detain MERCADEL, officers removed a Plum Crazy Firearms Mod-M, .556/.223 caliber pistol from MERCADEL’s possession. This firearm was loaded, with one live round in the chamber and nineteen live rounds in the magazine. MERCADEL had been previously convicted of felonies, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
MERCADEL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment, as well as payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2024.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Rayburn of the Violent Crimes Unit.