Memphis Man Sentenced to 150 Months for Gun and Drug-Related Offenses

Memphis, TN – Quantrese Brazzell, 48, of Memphis has been sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on December 31, 2022, officers with the Memphis Police Department responded to a suspicious vehicle report at the intersection of East Georgia Avenue and Walnut Street.  When officers arrived, Defendant Brazzell was found to be the driver and sole occupant.  A search of the vehicle was conducted, and the Defendant was found to be in possession of approximately 500 pressed pills, which were later confirmed to be fentanyl.  Additionally, officers recovered a Springfield Arms Saint 5.56 caliber rifle loaded with approximately 31 live rounds.   

A federal grand jury for the Western District of Tennessee returned a two-count indictment on December 12, 2023, alleging violations of 21 U.S.C. § 841 (unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute) and 18 U.S.C. §922(g) (a convicted felon in possession of a firearm).  

After a four-day trial, a jury found the Defendant guilty as to counts 1 and 2 of the indictment.  On June 17, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced the Defendant to 150 months' imprisonment and three years supervised release consecutive to 18 months' imprisonment in case number 2:16-cr-20153.  The Defendant was on federal supervised release for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 at the time of the offense.  This is the Defendant’s fourth federal conviction.  

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.  

Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Kimbril-Parks and Greg Allen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

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