Nola Reporter

Shampain Poole, 23, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on July 15, 2024, to 147 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a mandatory $300 special assessment fee. This sentencing follows his conviction by a jury for carjacking, brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Court records indicate that Poole carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint from an eighty-year-old woman outside her home. The victim promptly reported the incident. Shortly after the carjacking, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers observed Poole driving the stolen vehicle the wrong way down a one-way street. Upon noticing police presence, Poole abandoned the car and fled to a relative's nearby residence. Although NOPD officers spotted him again outside this residence, he attempted to hide the firearm used in the carjacking in another house's crawl space.

The NOPD retrieved home security footage from the homeowner and recovered the weapon—a fully loaded Smith & Wesson Model M&P 40 Shield semi-automatic pistol with one bullet in the chamber. It was also noted that Poole had prior felony convictions for illegal use of a weapon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans commended NOPD’s swift identification of Poole as the perpetrator within 15 minutes of the offense.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, PSN launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy focusing on fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside NOPD conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman from the Violent Crime Unit and Mark A. Miller from the Narcotics Unit prosecuted this matter.

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