DARROW — A Darrow man was sentenced to 50 years in jail for shooting at someone with a gun modified with a machine gun conversion device, District Attorney Ricky Babin announced Wednesday.

Brannon Ellis, 30, was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated flight from an officer and unlawful handling of machine guns in July after he waived his right to a jury trial. 

On Jan. 19, 2023, deputies responded to a Geismar business after a 911 caller reported that people inside a small sedan were shooting at a man running across a parking lot.

Deputies later found the car leaving the area and chased it until it crashed, the office said. Two men then ran away on foot.

According to the DA's office, one man threw away a gun and a mask while the other tried to throw away a rifle.

The office said detectives recovered evidence and video that tied Ellis to the shooting. One of the recovered guns had been converted to fire fully automatically with a machine gun conversion device.

Both men were booked into the Ascension Parish Jail, according to the office. The office said sentencing was delayed after the guilty verdict for a pre-sentence investigation.

The District Attorney's Office also said it plans to file a habitual offender bill because of Ellis' criminal history.