MEMPHIS, TN – Antwon Brown, 30, is heading to federal prison for over a decade after being convicted of flooding Memphis streets with drugs and illegally possessing firearms. Brown received a 138-month sentence – eleven and a half years – handed down by U.S. District Judge Sheryl Lipman on December 15, 2022, following a probe by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The investigation, launched in February 2022, quickly connected Brown to the Unknown Vice Lords street gang and revealed a consistent pattern of criminal activity. ATF agents learned Brown wasn’t just a convicted felon illegally possessing guns; he was using them to facilitate his drug dealing. The first break in the case came on February 14, 2022, when a confidential informant purchased both a firearm and approximately half a pound of marijuana directly from Brown in a parking lot on Whitten Road.
The net tightened in April. On April 15, 2022, authorities arrested Brown. A search revealed he was carrying marijuana, methamphetamine, digital scales used for weighing drugs, plastic baggies for packaging, and a pistol. The evidence painted a clear picture of a sophisticated, albeit illegal, operation. He was subsequently indicted on seven federal counts, including two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.
Brown didn’t fight the charges. On September 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to all seven counts: two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms; three counts of possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The guilty plea secured his fate, but the severity of the sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes.
U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencing, emphasizing the commitment of federal authorities to dismantle drug trafficking operations and remove dangerous criminals from the streets. Ritz specifically praised Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy K. Cornejo and P. Neal Oldham for their work on the case. Federal sentences carry no possibility of parole, meaning Brown will serve the full 11 years and 6 months.
The ATF’s Nashville Field Division spearheaded the investigation. This case serves as a stark reminder that convicted felons attempting to acquire and utilize firearms while engaged in illegal drug activity will face severe consequences under federal law. The ATF continues to work tirelessly to disrupt criminal networks and safeguard communities from gun violence and the scourge of illegal drugs.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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