JACKSON, TN – Orlando Mays, 41, is headed back to federal prison after receiving an 88-month sentence for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing, announced today by Acting United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., closes a case that reveals a dangerous criminal attempting to rebuild a life of crime in a quiet Tennessee town.
The bust went down on October 24, 2019, when a search warrant was executed at Mays’ Brownsville, Tennessee residence. Law enforcement didn’t find a stash of narcotics, but a frightening arsenal. Inside the master bedroom, they recovered a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield .40 caliber handgun, an American Tactical 5.56/.223 caliber AR-style pistol with a high-capacity drum, and a Glock Model 22 with an extended magazine. Also seized were digital scales with marijuana residue, vacuum sealing equipment, a money counter, and a staggering $20,000 in cash.
The search wasn’t confined to the house. Vehicles linked to Mays yielded an FN Five Seven, model 5.7×28 caliber firearm. Mays ultimately pleaded guilty to possessing the Smith & Wesson. But the story behind who Orlando Mays is paints a far more sinister picture. He’s not a first-time offender; he’s a convicted hitman.
Court records show Mays previously received a sentence for Use of a Facility in Interstate Commerce in the Commission of Murder-For-Hire. He was paid by the leader of a major Tennessee drug trafficking organization to carry out two killings. Federal law prohibits convicted felons like Mays from owning firearms or ammunition, a restriction he flagrantly ignored. He was already on supervised release from a previous federal prison term when this latest crime unfolded.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen handed down the 88-month sentence, comprised of 64 months for the firearm offense and an additional 24 months for violating the terms of his supervised release. Mays will also serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term – though federal sentences don’t offer parole.
“Mays is a convicted ‘hit man’ and enforcer for the largest drug trafficking organization ever in the state of Tennessee,” stated John Carter, Director of the West TN Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force. “He was on supervised release… trying to hide in small town Tennessee to conduct his criminal enterprise. However, small town Tennessee utilizes big town law enforcement who came together to put Mays back where he belongs, federal prison.” The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the 28th Judicial West Tennessee Drug Task Force, Brownsville Police Department, Gibson County SWAT Team, ATF, and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary Parham and Christie Hopper prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Press Release
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