MEMPHIS, TN – Timothy Lurry, 36, a known member of the Grape Street Crips gang, will spend the next 25 years of his life behind bars after a federal judge slammed him with a 300-month sentence for running methamphetamine. Lurry was convicted of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and both possession and distribution of the drug, a clear indication of his central role in the Memphis drug trade.
Federal authorities say the bust began with an investigation initiated by the Department of Homeland Security, which quickly revealed Lurry was supplying and selling over 300 grams of *pure* methamphetamine. The operation wasn’t exactly subtle, taking place while Lurry was already on state probation for aggravated assault – a fact clearly not deterring him from further criminal activity. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., includes no parole, meaning Lurry will serve the full 25 years.
But Lurry didn’t operate alone. Even after his arrest, investigators discovered he attempted to continue his criminal enterprise from behind bars, directing an associate, Paris Bradford, to sell cocaine on his behalf. Bradford, 36, already pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, aiding and abetting possession, and distribution of the drug, receiving a four-month federal prison sentence and three years of supervised release on June 26, 2022.
The investigation also ensnared Ivan Guevara-Cortez, who similarly pled guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting possession. Guevara-Cortez received a 35-month federal prison sentence on January 10, 2023. The ripple effect of Lurry’s operation is clear, impacting multiple individuals and feeding the city’s addiction crisis.
U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz made a statement following the sentencing, praising the collaborative effort of multiple agencies. The case was investigated by DHS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Allen and Raven Icaza led the prosecution. This wasn’t a solo operation; it was a coordinated takedown of a significant player in the Memphis drug network.
The sentence sends a message, however hollow it may feel to those struggling with addiction in Memphis: federal authorities are actively targeting drug traffickers and dismantling their operations. But with a constant influx of narcotics into the city, and gangs like the Grape Street Crips deeply entrenched, it’s a battle that’s far from over. Lurry’s 25-year sentence is a temporary win in a much larger, ongoing war.
Related Federal Cases
- Rabbit Hopkins, Meth Trafficking, Tennessee 2024 · Tennessee
- Edward Allen, Murder of Fellow Gang Member, Memphis TN, 2023 · Tennessee
- US Justice Department, Drug and Arms Trafficking, Washington D.C., … · New York
- Jadakiss Johnson, Armed Carjacking, Memphis TN, 2024 · Virginia
- Markel Strong, Armed Career Criminal, Memphis TN, 2023 · Tennessee
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News