Local Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Two 2017 Carjackings
Memphis, TN –Harry French, 21, has been sentenced to 246 months in federal prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in two separate criminal episodes. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on August 4, 2017, as Teresa Lee-Moore was preparing to leave for work from her residence at the Lamar Crossing Apartment Complex she looked out the window and saw three young black males in the parking lot. She waited until they were gone to exit her apartment. Lee-Moore got into her vehicle, a 2015 Dodge Journey, and began to leave when one of the men got in front of her vehicle’s path and pointed a firearm at her and ordered her to stop the car. Once she unlocked the car, the man kept the gun pointed at her as he ordered her to get out of the car. He told her to "leave the keys and her purse or he would shoot her" as he kept the gun pointed at her. She watched as the two other men got into her vehicle, and all three fled the complex.
On August 7, 2017, a juvenile co-defendant gave a full confession to his participation in the carjacking of Lee-Moore. The juvenile stated that De’Quaun Blackmon, an accomplice, used a 9mm black firearm during the carjacking.
On August 23, 2017, after visiting family members, Robert Featherson returned to his gated retirement community at 1 a.m. and noticed three young black males in the parking lot. Featherson exited his vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, and walked toward his unit with the assistance of a cane. As he approached his front door, the three young men approached him, two armed with firearms. One man struck him in the head with the gun, causing Featherson to fall to the ground. The suspects then got on top of him and told him "to shut up or they would kill him." The suspects went through his pockets, taking his keys, cell phone, and wallet. They then fled, and Featherson watched as they drove away in his vehicle. Featherson was transported by ambulance and remained in the hospital overnight due to his injuries.
On August 28, 2017, De’Quaun Blackmon gave a full confession to the carjackings, and admitted that French and the juvenile were with him during the carjackings. Blackmon stated that he approached Lee-Moore’s vehicle and pointed a loaded firearm at her and told her to get out of the car. Blackmon said that he used a loaded 9mm firearm during the carjackings, and that he had left with Harry French.
After the trial but before sentencing, French, from the federal detention facility in Mason, used a contraband cellphone to post witness statements on his social media account. Judge Norris took this conduct into account when making his sentencing decision.
On January 16, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced French to 246 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our Carjacking Initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is continuing to coordinate with our federal and local law enforcement partners to prioritize and target carjacking cases for aggressive federal prosecution. This 20-year sentence confirms that there is a significant consequence for sowing lawlessness and violence in our communities, and French will now reap a long prison sentence for his brazen and dangerous behavior that victimized innocent citizens."
The Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Rogers and P. Neal Oldham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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