Knoxville Man Convicted Of Federal Firearms Violation

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On February 4, 2022, Kelvon Foster, 22, of Knoxville, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging Foster with making false or fictitious statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(6).  Violations of that statutory provision are sometimes referred to informally as “straw purchasing.”  Sentencing has been set for June 30, 2022, before United States District Judge Katherine A. Crytzer.  

Foster faces a term of up to 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 in fines and up to three years on supervised release. 

As part of the plea agreement filed with the Court on December 16, 2021, Foster waived an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.  Foster admitted to purchasing firearms from a Federal Firearm’s Licensee in Knoxville, Tennessee, on behalf of people prohibited by federal law from purchasing firearms.  Foster further admitted that he purchased at least one of the firearms, a Glock pistol, on behalf of a juvenile, Anthony Thompson.  The Glock pistol was later recovered by law enforcement in connection with an officer-involved shooting of Thompson at Austin-East Magnet High School on April 12, 2021.

United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee, Resident Agent in Charge Keith Jordan of the ATF’s Knoxville Field Office, and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

 This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the TBI.  The United States Attorney’s Office wishes to thank the Knox County Attorney General’s Office for its support of this federal investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws.  It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences.  PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face.

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