Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Memphis, TN – A local man has been sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for being a convicted a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on February 7, 2017, Memphis Police Department officers arrived at the 3700 block of Walsingham Drive to arrest Antonio White, 38, on an unrelated warrant. While in the front room of the home, officers noticed a young child sitting on a couch. Under the couch cushion on which the child was seated, officers discovered a loaded Glock .4o caliber pistol and approximately 7.4 grams of cocaine.

On October 1, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced White to 120 months in federal prison on each of the cocaine and firearms charges. These two sentences are to be served concurrently. Antonio White was a convicted felon at the time of the offense.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our PSN initiative, we focus on removing firearms from the hands of prohibited persons, and removing dangerous felons from our streets. Clearly, this prior felon has no hesitation in illegally possessing a firearm and cocaine in the presence of a child, and he will now be removed from our community for 10 years. We are FED UP. Gun Crime is Max Time."

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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017. 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.

This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Phillips prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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