Illegal Possession of Firearms Sends Converse Man to Prison

SHREVEPORT, La. — Joseph Chad Castillo, 36, of Converse, was sentenced today announced U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Castillo to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.

Information introduced in court revealed that on Dec. 26, 2022, a deputy with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence in Converse. While the deputy was at the residence, a vehicle drove down the driveway and stopped and the rear seat passenger, later determined to be Castillo, fled into the woods. After a brief pursuit, law enforcement officers stopped and searched the vehicle and found a Remington Model 1100 shotgun and a Remington Model 7600 rifle, as well as Castillo’s cell phone in the backseat. The rifle had an obliterated serial number and Castillo had previously stolen it from a private residence.

Castillo has two prior felony convictions, one for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2018 in Sabine Parish and another for possession of Schedule II CDS in Desoto Parish in 2017. He knew of his felony convictions and that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Castillo pleaded guilty to the charge on Aug. 16, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

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Source: U.S. ATF, atf.gov