A Port Arthur resident has been sentenced to prison for a federal firearms violation, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Christopher Dante Karo, aged 34, admitted guilt to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and received a 60-month federal prison sentence from U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on March 11, 2025.
Court records indicate that on April 3, 2024, law enforcement observed Karo engaged in a drug transaction in Port Arthur. After leaving the scene with two minors in his vehicle, he was stopped for speeding. During the stop, officers found that Karo lacked a driver's license and asked him to exit the vehicle. While standing near the patrol car, officers noticed a bottle appearing to contain PCP under their vehicle and determined through video evidence that Karo had dropped it during the stop and kicked it beneath the patrol car. A subsequent search of his vehicle uncovered a pistol under the driver’s seat with an extended magazine holding 17 rounds of ammunition; this firearm had been reported stolen from Port Arthur.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which unites various levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The program aims to enhance neighborhood safety through principles such as fostering community trust, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation was conducted by the Port Arthur Police Department along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn prosecuted the case.