U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Shi Gang Zheng, a 55-year-old Chinese national residing in New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe.
Court documents revealed that Zheng received a sentence of 27 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He is also required to pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee after pleading guilty to making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
Zheng illegally entered the United States in 1991. Although ordered removed, China's government declined to facilitate his removal, allowing him to remain illegally. In July 2018, Zheng filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, falsely claiming he did not own firearms or significant assets. The United States Trustee later discovered fraudulent documents and unreported assets including numerous firearms. Zheng admitted ownership but was prohibited from possessing them due to his immigration status.
In September 2023, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office members observed Zheng conducting a drug transaction. Searches of his vehicle and residence uncovered approximately 51 kilograms of marijuana and a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by bringing together law enforcement at all levels with communities they serve. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, strengthening PSN through fostering trust and legitimacy in communities and supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey N. Knight, Chief of the Criminal Division.