Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Possession
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –A federal judge this week sentenced a convicted felon for three counts of illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
United States District Court Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala sentenced Demarcus Marshall, 27, to 120 months in prison. Marshall pleaded guilty to the charges in January. According to the plea agreement, Marshall illegally possessed a firearm on three occasions.
On September 9, 2020, Birmingham Police Officers responded to a domestic call where Marshall’s girlfriend was the victim. When officers arrived, they recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol from Marshall.
On September 30, 2020, a Homewood Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle where Marshall was the passenger and observed Marshall holding a pistol. Officers recovered a Taurus .40 caliber pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. The officers also recovered a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol in the front passenger glove box loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. They also recovered loose rounds of ammunition throughout the vehicle.
On June 22, 2021, Marshall approached a woman and assaulted her by hitting her in the face with his fist and throwing her to the ground. The female got away from Marshall and got into her car. As she drove away, Marshall chased after the car and fired two rounds from a handgun at the vehicle. No one was hit by the rounds. A Birmingham Police Officer recovered a .40 caliber shell casing from the ground near where Marshall had fired. Later that day, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle with four occupants. Marshall was in the back seat and when officers approached, Marshall was attempting to conceal a firearm under the driver’s seat of the vehicle. The officers instructed him to stop moving but he did not comply until he completely concealed the item. The officers recovered a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, digital scale, and miscellaneous controlled substances.
“To reduce the gun violence occurring in our communities, we partner with other law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute those who persistently violate federal gun laws and commit acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “We are grateful for the coordinated work of our federal, state, and local partners in bringing this offender to justice.”
“The ATF recognizes that we are most successful when we work with our state, local, and federal partners. Our ability to protect the American families, increases by having a comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy in place. We will continue to focus our efforts to decrease violent crime and hold individuals accountable who continuously cause harm in the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
“While the FBI investigates a host of crimes, fighting violent crime and being effective partners to state and local law enforcement is at the core of who we are, and we will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with our partners in the fight against violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.
This case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Operation Safe Families Initiative, which was launched in October 2020. Operation Safe Families focuses on fighting domestic violence in the Northern District of Alabama. Annually, offenders with a history of domestic violence commit more than half of all homicides committed in Jefferson County. Through Operation Safe Families, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works with federal, state, and local law enforcement to use federal firearm laws to combat domestic violence.
“The United States Attorney’s Office and our partners prioritize protecting victims and the community from people who commit domestic violence with a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “The presence of a firearm within a domestic violence situation increases the threat of death to the victim by 500%. Moreover, escalating community violence in Jefferson County is being driven by people who have a history of domestic violence, with 74% of solved homicides in 2021 being committed by someone with a history of domestic violence,” added U.S. Attorney Escalona.
FBI investigated the case along with ATF, the Birmingham Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy Peoples and Darius Greene prosecuted the case.
