Following a two-day trial, a jury consisting of twelve Claiborne Parish citizens unanimously found Alvin Buggage guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon pursuant to La. R.S. 14:95.1. Buggage had previously been convicted of Manslaughter in Orleans Parish docket number 502,364 on January 30, 2012. Following his release from prison in early 2024, his parole was transferred to Lincoln Parish, where he had moved.

Trial testimony revealed that on the night of September 20, 2024, Buggage was pulled over by Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Smith for a traffic violation as he was leaving the Homer/Haynesville football game. Upon encountering Buggage, Deputy Smith smelled marijuana from within the car, and upon searching the vehicle, Deputy Smith seized a fully loaded Sig Sauer, P365 .380 handgun. Louisiana law prohibits felons convicted of certain violent crimes from possessing a firearm for a period
of ten years after being released from jail or completing their parole.

The jury deliberated for less than one hour before returning its unanimous verdict of “guilty as charged.” Judge Walter May presided over the trial, and Assistant District Attorney, James H. Colvin, Jr., prosecuted the case for the State of Louisiana. Possession of a firearm by a convicted, violent felony offender is a very serious offense under Louisiana law punishable by at least five years in jail, but not more than twenty years. The State will investigate whether it can seek additional jail time, as Buggage is a habitual, criminal offender, having also been previously convicted of possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, possession of narcotics, manslaughter, and a previous firearm possession conviction, all from Orleans Parish.

“Constructive possession cases like this one are particularly challenging to prove,” said Jim Colvin, “but the outstanding work done by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office during the stop itself and the ensuing investigation allowed the prosecution to take a dangerous felon off the streets of Claiborne Parish. Gun crimes such as this will not be tolerated in our community, and prosecuted to fullest extent of the law.

Judge Walter E. May, Jr., ordered Buggage held without bond pending his sentence on April 7, 2026. Buggage faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years at hard labor.