On Tuesday, Mark Darby of 8191 Main St. Gonzales, LA, age 26, pled guilty to Aggravated Flight from an Officer and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Darby was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Koenig, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Steven Tureau. This guilty plea was the result of a plea agreement with prosecutors following a 2024 arrest. 

          On April 19, 2024, while on patrol, a Gonzales Police Officer observed an individual commit a traffic violation. The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop and engaged officers in a pursuit. After a brief pursuit, the vehicle came to a stop. The driver and a passenger then fled on foot. With the assistance of a Baton Rouge Police Department K-9, both individuals were apprehended. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Mark Darby. In close proximity of where Darby was located, officers located a firearm. A criminal records check revealed that Darby was in fact a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Further investigation revealed that Darby had discarded the firearm while fleeing. Darby was arrested and transported to the Ascension Parish Jail where he was booked accordingly. 

          Upon entering a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charges, pursuant to the plea agreement with prosecutors, Darby was sentenced to 10 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.