A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. announced.
Demond Maurice Barnes, 46, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 7, 2025.
On June 15, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a minor automobile accident in Port Arthur. While en route, officers received reports that one of the drivers had a firearm. Upon arrival, they found a red Ford Mustang that had backed into another vehicle. The driver, identified as Barnes, was unconscious, unresponsive, and foaming at the mouth. When officers removed him from the vehicle, they discovered he had been sitting on a semi-automatic pistol.
Further investigation revealed Barnes had prior felony convictions in Louisiana for possession of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program.
