LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY)-- A Lake Charles man now faces six years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the offense, after police found an illegal firearm and what appeared to be crack cocaine, according to United States Attorney Brandon B.
Brown.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office tried to conduct a traffic stop on 34-year-old Johntrel Joel Lewis, but he continued to drive away, avoiding police, until he eventually left his vehicle and ran away on foot.

Authorities found Lewis and arrested him, and after searching him, they discovered three clear bags with a substance that they believed was approximately 20.8 grams of crack cocaine as well as $900 in his pants pocket, according to Brown.

In the vehicle, police found a clear bag and a Taurus, model TH9C 9mm handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. Brown said Lewis had already been convicted of illegally carrying a weapon by a convicted felon in the presence of a controlled substance in 2018, and he knew he was not allowed to have any firearm or ammunition.

The recovered firearm was made in Brazil and had traveled in or affected interstate commerce, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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