The Honorable Walter E. May, Jr., sentenced Alvin C. Buggage to a term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years on Sept. 8 following his conviction for the crime of Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The sentence will be served without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence in accordance with law.  The Honorable Walter E, May, Jr., also found the defendant, Alvin C. Buggage, to be a four-time felony habitual offender and set Buggage’s habitual felony offender enhancement sentencing date for November 10, 2026. 

This conviction stemmed from a two-day jury trial prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney, James H. Colvin, Jr. The jury consisted of twelve (12) Claiborne Parish citizens who unanimously found Alvin Buggage guilty as charged to 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, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Smith initiated a traffic stop of Buggage’s vehicle as he was leaving the Homer/Haynesville football game in Haynesville. During the encounter, 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. Further, because Judge May determined that Buggage was a four-time felony offender, Buggage’s sentence is subject to enhancement at the sentencing hearing set for November 10, 2026.  

“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 they will be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law.”