Pierce County Felon Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison as Armed Career Criminal

            A repeat offender arrested as part of an anti-gang initiative was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 20 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.  ERIC QUINN FRANKLIN, 49, of Lakewood, Washington was convicted at a trial in September 2013, of three counts related to the distribution of crack cocaine, one count of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Judge Benjamin H. Settle ruled FRANKLIN qualified as an Armed Career Criminal.  The illegal firearms convictions and the Armed Career Criminal designation combine for a mandatory minimum 20 years sentence.

            FRANKLIN was arrested May 11, 2011 at his Lakewood apartment, following sales of crack cocaine to a person working with law enforcement.  At the time of his arrest law enforcement located a safe in the bedroom of the apartment.  Inside the safe was an unloaded Raven Arms .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a loaded Para-Ordnance Warthog, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.  The safe contained additional ammunition as well as cocaine, oxycodone and cash.  FRANKLIN has four prior felony drug convictions.

            FRANKLIN was prosecuted as part of a law enforcement emphasis on gang activity in the Pierce County area.  FRANKLIN was an associate of the ‘Tillicum Park Gangsters’ who were investigated in a joint operation by the Lakewood Police Department and the FBI’s South Sound Gang Task Force.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory A. Gruber and Arlen Storm.