Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

MEMPHIS, TN –Kerrell Jackson, 33, has been sentenced to 84 months imprisonment for being a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on April 16, 2018, a Memphis Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding. Jackson, the driver of the vehicle, was driving 84 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone. The Officer asked Jackson to produce his driver’s license. When Jackson reached for his wallet in his back pocket, the Officer saw a Taurus .40 caliber pistol on his person.

On September 9, 2018, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Jackson and an unknown female went to a residence on Neely Road in Memphis, Tennessee, in search of an individual who owed him money from a prior drug debt. A 73 year-old woman answered the door and informed Jackson that the person he was looking for was not there. Jackson became upset and began to wave and point a black firearm at the elderly woman and another man present. Upon leaving the residence Jackson fired three to four shots towards the house and in the direction of both victims.

Jackson has prior violent felony convictions for aggravated assault and facilitation of second degree murder, and was on state probation at the time of these new firearms offenses. As a result of his prior felony conviction history, Jackson is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On November 1, 2019, Jackson pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On July 1, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Mark. S. Norris sentenced Jackson to 84 months imprisonment followed by 2 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Jackson was a violent offender who repeatedly possessed and violently discharged a firearm despite his prior felony conviction history and probation status. There is a consequence for such brazen criminal behavior, and we will aggressively use and enforce federal law to incapacitate violent offenders, protect victims, and uphold the rule of law."

This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, 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. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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