Department of Justice

Memphis, TN – Following a two-day jury trial in federal court, a Memphis man has been found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty verdict today.

 

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 2, 2017, Memphis Police Department officers responded to a man down call at the "Z" Market located at Perkins and Cottonwood. Marcus McCraven, 36, was driving his Ford F-150 pickup truck when he crashed into a pole and a fence in the parking lot. McCraven appeared to be passed out behind the wheel. In plain view, on the passenger side floorboard, officers located a loaded Taurus .45/410 caliber revolver. He was also in possession of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl found inside his vehicle.

 

On March 20, 2009, McCraven pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 27 months. After serving that sentence, he violated the terms of supervised release and received an additional 6 months incarceration.

 

Sentencing is set on June 27, 2019, before United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. McCraven faces up to 10 years imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.

 

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to community, and this defendant continued to possess a firearm and illegal narcotics despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more gun toter that will be removed from our streets. Gun Crime is Max Time."

 

This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods 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 and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

The Memphis Police Department, Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case.

 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raney Irwin and Kevin Whitmore prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.