Derionte Chrishaun Thomas, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Texas 2021

A violent felon is off the streets of Beaumont, Texas, thanks to the hard work of the Beaumont Police Department and the ATF. Derionte Chrishaun Thomas, aka Shug, 25, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On September 24, 2020, Beaumont police officers responded to a call regarding a theft and aggravated assault at Parkdale Mall in Beaumont. The victim told officers that men in a black SUV stole her purse in the parking lot, and that the driver pointed a handgun at her face.

A short time later, officers located the black SUV parked at Smoke Deez Smoke Shop in Beaumont, and observed three males, including Thomas, exiting the smoke shop and walk towards the SUV. Officers engaged the suspects, who fled on foot. During this pursuit, officers saw Thomas discard a handgun. All three individuals were eventually caught and placed in custody, and the victim's purse was found inside the black SUV. The handgun that Thomas tossed was also recovered.

Further investigation revealed Thomas was a convicted felon having previously been found guilty of unauthorized use of a vehicle in 2016 in Harris County; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in 2017 in Jefferson County; and continuous family assault in 2017 in Jefferson County. As a convicted felon, Thomas is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

Thomas pleaded guilty on February 24, 2021, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the violent crime reduction efforts.

“Felons who possess firearms, and certainly those who possess firearms in connection with other felony offenses, will receive swift justice in the Eastern District of Texas,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/beaumont-felon-sentenced-parkdale-mall-firearms-violation