An Orange, Texas resident has been sentenced to federal prison for illegal firearm possession, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. John Marion LeBlanc, 45, was sentenced to 162 months by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 27, 2025.
The case stems from an incident on October 29, 2023, when law enforcement responded to a disturbance at the Orange Boat Ramp on Pier Road in Orange. Officers arriving at the scene encountered a large crowd and multiple vehicles in the parking lot. Gunshots were heard upon their arrival, and one individual was found shot in the arm. Surveillance footage captured LeBlanc firing a pistol into the crowd before discarding it in nearby grass where it was later recovered.
Further investigation revealed that LeBlanc had eight prior felony convictions, including two federal drug trafficking offenses. Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation consolidates resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation was conducted by the Orange Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn prosecuted the case.
