A Tennessee man has been sentenced to more than 5 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful drug user, following a traffic stop in Iowa.
Sidney Turner, 58, of Memphis, Tennessee, was stopped for a moving violation on March 29, 2023, and found to be driving without a valid license. During the stop, Turner was discovered to be in possession of marijuana and a gun.
The evidence collected led to a guilty plea by Turner to possession of a firearm by a felon and an unlawful drug user. This was not Turner’s first run-in with the law, as he has a lengthy criminal history. He has previously been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver, and possession of marijuana with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver.
Turner’s previous convictions also include being a felon in possession of a handgun. His history of violent and illicit behavior has ultimately led to a severe sentence of 70 months in prison.
The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City, Iowa, on August 14, 2023. Turner will also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence. It’s worth noting that there is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by bringing together law enforcement and the communities they serve.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security, the Woodbury County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Related Federal Cases
- Christopher Grays, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Arkansas 2024 · Tennessee
- Nigel Payton, Convicted Felon in Possession of Firearm, Mississippi 2022 · Alabama
- Jerry Shannon McAlister, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Mississippi 2023 · Alabama
- Jehovah Horace Dixon, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Mississippi 2025 · Louisiana
- April Lunsford, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Kansas 2023 · Tennessee
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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