Dwine Hardy, a 32-year-old resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 7, 2025, by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey. Hardy had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of a four-count indictment. The charges included being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a machine gun, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.
Hardy received a sentence of 70 months in prison for each count, to be served concurrently. Additionally, Judge Zainey imposed a three-year term of supervised release following Hardy's imprisonment and required the payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
Court documents revealed that Kenner police officers stopped Hardy while he was driving a stolen vehicle. A search uncovered illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, two Apple iPhones, 15 rounds of ammunition, and a stolen Glock Model 23 .40-caliber pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device and an extended magazine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, the department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy under PSN focused on fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the efforts of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kenner Police Department in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell from the Violent Crime Unit prosecuted the case.