Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession After Police Chase
Memphis, TN – Patrick Vaughn, 35, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in Court, on January 4, 2019, detectives with the Memphis Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit were conducting surveillance on a possible carjacking suspect, Patrick Vaughn, driving a black 2006 Kia Amanti near Poplar Ave and Hollywood Street. Attempting to avoid the surveillance, Vaughn made several U-turns on Poplar; detectives then called for additional patrol officers.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Vaughn continued to flee on Poplar at a high rate of speed; he ran several red lights while striking other vehicles. Vaughn then left his vehicle and fled on foot for a short distance before being taken into custody. During the search of the vehicle, officers recovered a black Ruger .380 caliber handgun.
Vaughn later waived his Miranda rights and admitted to being a felon in possession of a handgun. As a result of his prior felony convictions, including a carjacking offense in 2008, Vaughn is prohibited by federal law from possession of firearms or ammunition.
The defendant pled guilty on August 24, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on November 18, 2020, where Vaughn faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Prohibited persons in possession of firearms such as convicted felons present a known and immediate risk of violence to the community at large. In order to protect public safety and uphold the rule of law, we must remove firearms from the hands of prohibited persons and remove dangerous felons from our streets."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel D. Winnig is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. SAUSA Winnig is currently assigned from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for the purpose of prosecuting violent crimes and firearms offenses in federal court.
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