Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Jackson, TN – Henry McGuire was sentenced to a total of 240 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a machine gun and seven other firearms in Tennessee; and for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense in Idaho. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on February 6, 2016, members of the Boise Police Department in Idaho encountered Henry McGuire after he committed a traffic violation. During the stop, a K9 officer alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle and officers observed a semi-automatic pistol, tucked between the driver seat and center console. Upon searching the car, officers located a plastic bin containing marijuana, a digital scale, clear plastic bags, methamphetamine, heroin, bullets and several large wads of cash. Upon search of McGuire’s person, officers located a glass pipe containing white residue, methamphetamine, heroin, and over $1,500 in cash. McGuire admitting that he sold approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine every couple of days during the preceding year. The Boise Police Department seized approximately $16,851 cash and a Chevrolet Impala. McGuire was arrested and released on bail in Idaho and was later indicted federally in the District of Idaho.

On April 5, 2016, the United States Marshals Service was notified that Henry McGuire was an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT) fugitive from Idaho. McGuire was located by the U.S. Marshals and deputies with the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office on Covington Loop in Saulsberry, TN. When officers arrived, they observed two vehicles and a “fifth wheel” travel trailer. After checking the travel trailer for safety, officers observed a rifle laying on the couch. Officers recovered over $5,000 cash from McGuire and obtained a search warrant to search the rest of the property After executing the search warrant, agents found eight firearms including:

• a STEN, 9mm, fully loaded automatic machine gun,
• a Remington 28-shotgun,
• a Browning 12 gauge shotgun,
• Ruger rifle,
• a Bersa Mini Firestorm 9mm pistol,
• a Norinco .223 caliber rifle,
• a Ruger .22 caliber pistol, and
• a Ruger .22 caliber rifle.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “This case is a great example of law enforcement partners collaborating throughout the country to bring to justice those individuals who break our gun and drug laws. You will be caught. We are unrelenting in our pursuit of justice.”

Further investigation revealed three of the firearms, including the Bersa pistol, Ruger pistol, and Ruger rifle, had previously been reported as stolen. McGuire had previous felony convictions for Eluding Police Officers out of Boise, Idaho.

On November 1, 2017, the Honorable J. Daniel Breen, U.S. District Court Judge, sentenced McGuire to 240 months incarceration and 8 years supervised release to begin after his incarceration to resolve both the Idaho and Tennessee cases.

McGuire received 120 months for possession of the machine gun and other firearms in Tennessee, to be run concurrent with a 180-month sentence for possession of methamphetamine in Idaho. McGuire was also sentenced to 5 years consecutively to the methamphetamine charge for a total effective sentence of 240 months confinement.

Steve Gerido, ATF Special Agent in Charge commented, “The proactive relationships of law enforcement nationwide proved once again that individuals focusing on illegal firearms and narcotics activities will be brought to justice.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Boise (Idaho) Police Department; Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who have all worked jointly to address gun-related crimes through aggressive investigation and prosecution, investigated these cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor Eskridge and Bryce B. Ellsworth prosecuted these cases on the government’s behalf.

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