Memphis Gunman Gets 10 Years for Robbery, Illegal Firearm

MEMPHIS, TN – Melvin Hutchieson, 29, is facing a decade behind bars after a federal judge slammed him with a 120-month sentence for being a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm. The sentence, handed down today, stems from a 2015 robbery and subsequent gun charge, a case that highlights the ongoing struggle against violent crime in the city.

The trouble began July 16, 2015, when Hutchieson brazenly robbed two men repairing an air conditioner, brandishing a firearm and making off with around $400 in cash. Crucially, the weapon used in the commission of the crime – a Ruger .40 caliber pistol – was later determined to be stolen. The victims were understandably shaken, but their ordeal wouldn’t be the end of the story for Hutchieson.

Fast forward to September 29, 2015. Bartlett Police detectives, already investigating Hutchieson for alleged drug dealing, obtained a warrant to search his gold Chevy Suburban and a residence believed to be his drug-selling location. As they moved to execute the warrant, they spotted Hutchieson attempting to flee in the Suburban. A brief pursuit ensued, but Hutchieson eventually surrendered.

A search of the vehicle yielded a loaded Ruger – the very same firearm stolen during the July robbery. Investigators quickly connected the dots. Memphis Police detectives presented the victims with a photographic lineup, and they positively identified Hutchieson as the man who held them up at gunpoint. Ballistics confirmed the recovered Ruger was, without a doubt, the stolen weapon.

The case was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, a multi-agency coalition including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The PSN is a dedicated initiative focused on aggressively tackling gun-related violence through focused investigation and prosecution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayonle Osundare successfully prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, stated that this sentence sends a clear message: those who commit violent crimes and illegally possess firearms will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Hutchieson’s 120-month sentence serves as a stark reminder that the streets of Memphis won’t tolerate such lawlessness.

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