FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/9/2026
CONTACT: District Attorney Tony Clayton
225-687-5210
An Iberville Parish jury took only 4 minutes and 44 seconds on Wednesday evening 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 can recall.
Jarrel Q. Smith, 33, of 4765 Landry St., St. Gabriel, was arrested on September 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,” said DA Clayton. “In this case, a convicted felon had a firearm in his possession, and had a known criminal history. Getting a verdict in less than 5 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 thank the jury for its time.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nedi Morgan, who said, “The jury got it and got it right. 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 and set sentencing for April 29.