Two Trials, Two Convictions For Louisville Heroin Trafficking And Gun Offenses

            LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In two separate federal trials this week, the United States won convictions for heroin trafficking and firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.

            “The Department of Justice will continue to aggressively pursue gun cases and drug trafficking in federal court as a means of reducing violent crime in this community” said United States Attorney Russell Coleman “Our Commonwealth is blessed with able law enforcement partners who share this vision.”

             Jamar Garrison of Louisville, Kentucky was convicted yesterday in United States District Court on charges of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.  Mr. Garrison had been released on bond for state drug trafficking charges for the last two years when he was arrested after being found in possession of a loaded semiautomatic handgun, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl packaged for sale, several thousand dollars cash, and assorted other narcotics. The follow up investigation revealed that while released on bond on multiple pending felony drug indictments in Jefferson Circuit Court, Garrison had been using vehicles rented in the names of third parties in order to transport and traffic in heroin all over Louisville.

            Garrison is a multiple convicted felon with prior convictions for drug trafficking, robbery, felony assault, wanton endangerment, wanton endangerment of a police officer, felony fleeing and evading, and assorted other felony and misdemeanor crimes. He was arrested five times in 2017 while on felony bond for drug trafficking.

            Garrison will be sentenced November 1, 2018, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment.  He could also be fined $2,000,000, and be required to serve no less than 6 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.  Garrison has been detained by U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings since his May 23, 2018, indictment on federal charges.  

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin McKenzie and Marisa J. Ford, and paralegal Brandi Henderson, and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Intelligence Task Force (LMINTEL). 

            On July 25, 2017, a jury sitting in United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky returned a verdict of guilty against Chavon Davis, of Louisville, for knowingly making false statements to federally-licensed firearms dealers in the course of purchasing five firearms.   According to the Superseding Indictment, Davis knowingly made material false statements to two separate federally licensed firearms dealers in order to acquire five semiautomatic pistols.  The evidence at trial established that Davis bought the firearms so he could them to sell to a convicted felon.  Specifically, the Superseding Indictment charged that Davis purchased a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol from a firearms dealer in Hardin County, Kentucky on May 16, 2016.  Later, on May 24, 2016, Davis purchased two .40 caliber semiautomatic pistols and two 9 millimeter semiautomatic pistols from a firearms dealer in Jefferson County, Kentucky.  On both occasions, Davis completed the standard ATF Form 4473 which is required anytime a licensed dealer sells a firearm to a purchaser. ATF Form 4473 contains a number of questions that the purchaser of the firearm is required to answer truthfully before the dealer can lawfully transfer the firearm.  One of the questions was whether Davis was the actual purchaser of the firearms.  On each of the forms, Davis stated that he was the actual purchaser of the firearm. The evidence at trial, however, was that the defendant was “straw-purchasing” the firearms which he sold to a convicted felon and for profit.  The evidence at trial established that during the time period from February to May, 2016, Davis purchased a total of 15 semiautomatic pistols, but only possessed two of the pistols when ATF agents interviewed him in May, 2016.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Dyke and Corinne Keel, and paralegal Jane Bauer, and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force. 

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Kentucky.  A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.