NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEVON FRITH (“FRITH”), age 25, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk after previously pleading guilty to carjacking and gun offenses. Specifically, Judge Africk sentenced FRITH to 41 months imprisonment for Carjacking, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119, as well as a consecutive term of 60 months imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), for a total sentence of 101 months. Judge Africk ordered that FRITH be placed on supervised release for five (5) years following his release from imprisonment and pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count of conviction.
Court documents reveal that on April 10, 2023, FRITH carjacked a vehicle in the Central City area of New Orleans. He was wearing a ski mask and gloves and pointed a loaded Glock Model 26 handgun at the victim while demanding the keys to her car. The handgun had an extended magazine with 17 live rounds. FRITH drove the car to the Westbank where he crashed it into a fence and another parked vehicle. He was arrested within minutes. Law enforcement successfully recovered the weapon, wrapped in the same sweatshirt he wore during the carjacking.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the New Orleans Police Department for its quick apprehension of FRITH and the recovery of the weapon.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation- Violent Crimes Task Force, and New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit handled the prosecution.
