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Press Release

Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition and a Firearm After National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) Links His Separate Gun Crimes

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

Memphis, TN – Joe Arnold, 21, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.

According to information presented in court, on February 8, 2018, Memphis Police responded to a shooting near the 6700 block of Summer Trace in Memphis, TN. Joe Arnold fired shots at his girlfriend after an argument. Officers recovered several .40 caliber cartridge casings on the scene.

On March 12, 2018, officers responded to an aggravated assault at the Woodchase Apartment Complex in Cordova, TN where Joe Arnold was responsible for shooting at an occupied vehicle multiple times. Arnold then led police on a brief vehicle pursuit before being apprehended and placed into custody. Officers were able to retrace the path of the pursuit and located a .40 caliber Glock handgun.

On March 19, 2018, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MGU) NIBIN Investigative Teamlinked both gun crimes through ballistic evidence.

Subsequently, a federal grand jury indicted Arnold and charged him with one-count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one-count of being felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "We are using all available resources and techniques to combat violent and gun crime. In this notable case, the use of NIBIN technology and the outstanding investigative work of the MGU NIT has allowed us to hold an offender accountable for two separate shooting incidents. The message is clear: we have the ability and resolve to remove the trigger-pullers from our streets and clear unsolved shootings with swiftness and certainty."

On November 27, 2018, Arnold pleaded guilty to both counts before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. He is set to be sentenced on March 1, 2019. He faces up to 10 years on each count.

This case was investigated by the MGU NIBIN Investigative Team (NIT).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

 

Contact

Cherri Green
Public Information Officer
Cherri.Green@usdoj.gov
901-544-4231

Updated December 7, 2018