Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Man Who Pointed Assault Rifle at Detective Found Guilty in Federal Court
Memphis, TN – After a three-day trial, a man who pointed an assault rifle at police officers has been convicted by a federal jury of felony firearm possession. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on September 4th, 2014, detectives with the Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit went to a house in South Memphis to conduct a knock and talk investigation regarding drug sales. When detectives knocked on the door and asked to speak with a resident about the complaint, 31-year-old Geremy Atkins, of Memphis, asked who was at the door. After detectives identified themselves, Atkins opened the door and pointed a black 5.56 caliber assault rifle at one of the detectives. The defendant subsequently closed the door and ran out the back door. Detectives were able to catch and detain Atkins by the rear fence of the house’s backyard. The assault rifle Atkins pointed at officers was found on the other side of the fence, a few feet from where Atkins was arrested. Law enforcement discovered that the rifle was fully loaded with 5.56 caliber rounds of ammunition.
On Wednesday, January 13, 2016, a federal jury found Atkins guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Atkins is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. on Thursday, April 21, 2016. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 when sentenced.
This case was investigated by the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, a collective comprised of personnel from the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The PSN Task Force works in a unified effort against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague the greater Shelby County area.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hamilton Carriker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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