Arthur Alford, Gun Possession, TN 2016

Arthur Alford, aka “Snoop,” 35, of Ripley, Tennessee, is headed to federal prison for 180 months after being sentenced Wednesday, November 16, 2016, for illegally possessing a firearm as an armed career criminal. The conviction caps a federal crackdown on gang activity in Lauderdale County, where Alford operated as a known member of the Gangster Disciples.

On July 16, 2015, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the 25th Judicial Drug Task Force executed a narcotics search warrant at Alford’s Ripley residence. Inside, they uncovered $2,114 in suspected drug proceeds, multiple grams of synthetic marijuana, packaging materials, digital scales, drug ledgers, and receipts—clear evidence of ongoing distribution.

Most damning: a loaded 9mm handgun and a box of ammunition, both recovered during the raid. Despite being a convicted felon, Alford had no legal right to possess the weapon. His criminal history includes multiple prior felony convictions, triggering the federal armed career criminal enhancement that carried a mandatory 15-year sentence.

The investigation began in December 2014, when ATF and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) joined forces with local authorities to dismantle street gang operations in the region. Alford quickly emerged as a high-priority target due to his Gangster Disciples affiliation and violent criminal pattern.

In July 2016, Alford pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of unlawful firearm possession. No plea deals softened the blow—U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman imposed the full 180-month sentence, underscoring the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance on armed gang members.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Stringfellow prosecuted the case for the government. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, confirmed the outcome, calling it a critical strike against organized street crime. The case was investigated by ATF and the 25th Judicial Drug Task Force.