An Orlando man who was caught carrying a loaded pistol on Christmas Day in 2022 has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On Monday, August 19, 2024, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that 34-year-old Byron Louder has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court records, at around 4:10 p.m. on December 25, 2022, Orlando Police Department Officers were conducting surveillance near the Arena Food Store located at 635 N Westmoreland Drive in Orlando when they observed a man who appeared to be consuming alcohol in the parking lot.
The man, later identified as Louder, was wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and a ski mask on his head. The arrest report stated that a black firearm was also visible in his waistband, and he was “adjusting the firearm in public and in broad daylight” while “drinking from liquor bottles.”
According to the report, the store was a “known area for those selling and buying narcotics,” and it was also the scene of a shooting that had occurred the day before.
Additional OPD officers responded to the location and made contact with Louder. He was detained in handcuffs without incident, and a black Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun was retrieved from his front waistband. The firearm was loaded with 14 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
A computer history search of Louder revealed that he had over a dozen prior felony convictions, including delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver.
After being read his Miranda rights, Louder claimed that he was carrying the firearm for “personal protection.”
As a convicted felon, Louder is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
A sentencing hearing for Louder will be held in Orange County on November 6, 2024. He is facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie McNeff.
Additionally, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.