Texas Felon Gets 78 Months for Pistol-Grip Shotgun

A Port Arthur man’s brazen disregard for the law has landed him a 78-month stint in federal prison.

Christopher Bryan Jones, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 24, 2024. Jones’s case is just the latest example of the ongoing plague of firearms-related crimes sweeping the nation.

Jones was not the only one to face justice for his crimes. Bernard Colbert, 40, of Baldwin, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to the same offense and was sentenced earlier this year to 40 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.

According to court records, Jones and Colbert were questioned by Port Arthur police on May 8, 2022, after officers encountered them in a vehicle parked at a convenience store on Gulfway Drive. During the questioning, officers observed a pistol-grip shotgun on the back seat behind the men.

Further investigation revealed that Jones had prior felony convictions from Jefferson County, including robbery and burglary of a habitation, and Colbert had felony convictions from Louisiana, including possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Under federal law, felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition, making Jones and Colbert’s actions all the more egregious.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve.

On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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