An Iberville Parish jury took only four minutes and 44 seconds Wednesday, April 8, to find a St. Gabriel man guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
It was one of the quickest verdicts that District Attorney Tony Clayton could recall.
Jarrel Q. Smith, 33, of 4765 Landry St., St. Gabriel, was arrested Sept. 20, 2024, as deputies conducted active patrols in an apartment complex. The deputies smelled a strong odor of marijuana from Smith as he exited his vehicle.
Smith had previously been convicted of simple burglary in 2019.
“I have repeatedly said we will prosecute violent offenders,” Clayton said. “In this case, a convicted felon had a firearm in his possession and had a known criminal history. Getting a verdict in less than five minutes should send a message — we are working to get the guns off the streets, and we will take these cases to trial, if necessary.
“I want to thank the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, St Gabriel Police Department, and the Louisiana Probation and Parole for providing us with a very solid case, and I thank the jury for its time.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nedi Morgan.
“The jury got it and got it right,” she said. “There was no question with the evidence in this case that Jarrel Smith was guilty as charged.”
District Judge Elizabeth Engolio presided over the trial.
Sentencing is set for April 29.
This article originally appeared on Plaquemine Post South: St. Gabriel man convicted on illegal firearm charge in under 5 minutes
