Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that HAROLD FOSTER, age 29, and MARC DALTON, age 30, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged in a five-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for carjacking, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119, 924, and 922.

According to court documents, FOSTER and DALTON were the offenders in two separate armed carjacking incidents in New Orleans. On April 10, 2020, the two men used firearms to forcefully take a Chevrolet Envoy. On April 12, 2020, they committed a second armed carjacking of a Mercedes C230. Both have prior felony criminal convictions. If convicted of carjacking and the firearms offenses, FOSTER and DALTON face a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/project-guardian.

The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles D. Strauss.

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