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Press Release

Illegal Possession of Firearm Sends Convicted Felon to Federal Prison for 10 Years

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee

Memphis, TN- Amiri Johnson, 28, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., United States Attorney, announced the sentence today.


According to information presented in court, on March 12, 2019, at approximately 8:00am, detectives with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Apprehension Team executed a search warrant at an address on E. Belle Haven Road for Amiri Johnson. Johnson was wanted for aggravated burglary and robbery. Detectives were allowed into the residence by the homeowner who gave consent to search the home.


During the search, detectives found a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol underneath a mattress in the master bedroom. Johnson was discovered hiding inside a compartment of cabinets and was immediately placed into custody.


The gun recovered was loaded with six live rounds of .40 caliber ammunition and had been reported stolen during a residential burglary. Johnson claimed ownership of the gun. In 2013, Johnson was convicted on two counts of aggravated burglary, and in 2016, he was convicted for robbery. As a result of his felony convictions, Johnson is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.


On May 18, 2022, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Johnson to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.


This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Memphis Police Department, the Multi-Gang Unit, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The PSN initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement.


Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.


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Updated June 7, 2022