Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Memphis, TN – A federal judge recently sentenced a Memphis man to over 17 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.
According to court documents, in December 2021, Charlie Gibson was stopped by security guards at a local apartment complex for loitering. Upon detaining Gibson and searching his belongings, the guards found a Glock .40 caliber pistol, approximately 250 grams of marijuana, and three digital scales. The guards called the Memphis Police Department, who came and arrested Gibson.
In July 2022, Shelby County deputies responded to an assault call in Cordova, Tennessee and were told that the suspect was driving a gray Nissan. The deputies found the gray Nissan, and then saw a man, later identified as Gibson, quickly get into it. A deputy stood in front of the car and ordered Gibson to stop. Gibson refused and drove forward, striking the deputy who rolled onto the hood of the vehicle. The deputy drew his service weapon and ordered Gibson to stop again, but Gibson instead revved the engine. The deputy then fired several rounds through the windshield, striking Gibson, who crashed the vehicle shortly thereafter. Deputies at the scene rendered lifesaving aid to Gibson. Law enforcement later found a Glock .40 caliber pistol on the driver’s side floorboard of Gibson’s vehicle.
Charges from both incidents were combined into a superseding indictment in November 2023. After a two-day trial in February 2024, federal jurors found Gibson guilty of two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, one count of marijuana possession with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony.
United States District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Gibson on June 11, 2024, to a total of 210 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated for federal prosecution by the PSN Gun Task Force, Memphis Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jermal Blanchard and Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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