Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Northern Nevada Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Project Safe Neighborhoods Prosecution
RENO, Nev. – A felon who was found guilty of a federal firearm violation was sentenced yesterday to a total of eight years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Clifton James Jackson, 55, of Reno, was found guilty by a jury in April 2019, of one count of felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben sentenced Jackson to 78 months in prison. In addition, Jackson committed the crime while on supervised release for his prior felon in possession conviction. His supervised release was revoked and he was sentenced to a consecutive 18 months in prison for a total of 96 months. This was Jackson’s 10th felony conviction.
In December 2018, a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a 911 call reporting a man holding a handgun while walking towards a business and the caller hearing gunshots. When the deputy arrived in the area, he saw a truck matching the suspect’s vehicle. While waiting for additional units to arrive, the deputy observed the truck accelerate quickly. The deputy activated the emergency lights and siren, but the truck failed to stop. While in pursuit of the suspect, the deputy observed an object being thrown from the truck. When additional units arrived on scene, Jackson and a juvenile were ordered from the truck and arrested. The deputies searched the area where the object had been thrown and recovered a loaded 7.65mm semi-automatic pistol and a box of .32 caliber ammunition. A subsequent search of the truck revealed a round of ammunition. A records check of the recovered firearm revealed that it had been stolen in Plumas County, California in May 2018.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Rachow and Randy St. Clair prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv