DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Louisiana

For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 17, 2018
Duane A. Evans
, United States Attorney
Contact: AUSA Assigned

New Orleans Men Sentenced on Gun and Carjacking Charges

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that RODNEY BROWN, age 23, and MICHAEL PORTIS, 27, both of New Orleans, were sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to carjacking-related charges.  Previously, BROWN pled guilty to carjacking and PORTIS pled guilty to brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a carjacking.
 
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced BROWN to 78 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Judge Barbier sentenced PORTIS to 120 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
 
According to court documents, on April 24, 2016, at approximately 2:29 a.m., two females were carjacked in the driveway of a house located on N. Derbigny Street.  The victims stated that they exited the house and entered a vehicle that was parked in the driveway of that location.   PORTIS and BROWN, dressed in black and brandishing guns, approached from opposite sides of the vehicle. BROWN tapped on the window of the vehicle with a gun and stated, “You move I’ll shoot.”  A third suspect stood nearby and acted as a lookout.  The two females exited the car and the suspects entered and drove away.  A short time later, the car was returned and left in the driveway.
 
One of the victims told the police officers that one of the suspects had facial tattoos.  Officers canvassed the area, set up a perimeter and searched the block.  Officers located PORTIS and two other subjects hiding in high bush nearby.  PORTIS had facial tattoos and was wearing dark pants and a dark, hooded sweatshirt, consistent with the description given by the victims.  The victim positively identified PORTIS as one of the gunmen.  BROWN was not apprehended on the date of the incident, but was later identified and implicated on jail phone call recordings.
 
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the ATF New Orleans Division Office, New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Nolan D. Paige and Shirin Hakimzadeh were in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Field Division