On May 27, two people were sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
John Marion LeBlanc, 45, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 29, 2023, law enforcement responded to the Orange Boat Ramp on Pier Road in Orange in reference to a large disturbance with shots fired. Upon arrival, officers could see a large crowd with numerous vehicles in the boat ramp parking lot.
As officers approached the scene, they heard several gunshots and observed muzzle flashes. One person had been shot in the arm. Video surveillance footage shows LeBlanc arrive at the boat ramp parking lot and fire a pistol in the crowd. Other individuals also fired shots, and as police arrived on scene, video footage shows LeBlanc throwing a firearm in the grass where it was later recovered.
Maria Magdalena Chavez, 41, illegally residing in Port Arthur, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Sept. 11, 2024, Chavez was in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation in Nederland. During the stop, it was determined that Chavez had a firearm concealed in her bra.
Further investigation revealed Chavez was a Mexican national who had been previously removed from the United States.