COVINGTON—A St. Tammany Parish jury found Kelvin Rushing, 47, of Pearl River, guilty Thursday (Feb. 25) of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. With 10 prior felony convictions, Rushing is facing up to life in prison when he is sentenced March 24.
Rushing was arrested March 26, 2015, during an undercover drug operation by the Slidell Police Department at a Slidell motel. With information that Rushing was selling drugs from the motel room, officers entered and found Rushing standing near a crack pipe on a table. A woman who was staying in the room gave officers permission to search it, and seven grams of crack cocaine were found under a sofa cushion.
Rushing also had $380 on him, including $60 in marked money that had been used in an undercover purchase of crack cocaine. During a search of the vehicle that Rushing had been driving, officers also found $1,620 in cash and 39 nine-millimeter rounds in the glove compartment, as well as a loaded .38 handgun in a sock in the trunk.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the investigation. Rushing was charged with possession of cocaine, but the jury deadlocked on that charge. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Kilian prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney William Macke. Rushing’s prior convictions include second degree kidnapping in 1991, aggravated battery in 1999, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 1999, simple escape in 1993, possession of cocaine in 1999 and 2004, forgery in 1991, illegal possession of stolen things and two theft convictions in 1991. He has two additional cases that are still pending.