SERVING ASCENSION, ASSUMPTION & ST. JAMES PARISHES

Gonzales Man Imprisoned on Firearm Charge

         On March 20, 2017, Jonquil Muse of 727 West Worthy Rd. Gonzales, LA., age 32, pled guilty to Attempted Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Muse was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Joni Buquoi, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jessie LeBlanc. This guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors following a 2014 traffic stop. 

          On November 18, 2014, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Deputies initiated a traffic stop on a 2005 Ford Taurus after observing the driver of the vehicle commit several traffic violations. Upon making the stop, deputies made contact with the occupants of the vehicle. While interviewing the occupants, deputies became suspicious of the responses of certain questions that were asked, along with certain movements inside of the vehicle. Deputies then made a request and were granted consent to search the interior of the vehicle. During the search, deputies located a .40 caliber handgun and a .380 caliber handgun. The .40 caliber handgun was located in the nearby vicinity of Muse, who was previously convicted for illegal narcotics possession in 2013. Muse was subsequently arrested and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail. 

          Upon entering a plea of guilty to the above charge, as per the plea agreement with prosecutors, Judge LeBlanc ordered that Muse be committed to the Louisiana Department of Corrections for a period of 7 ½ years with credit for time served.