Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Firearm Possession

DOJ Press

 Memphis, TN – After a two-day trial, Gary Crawford, 32, has been found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the guilty verdict today.

According to information presented in court, on October 27, 2021, it was reported that a male on Porter Street and Ioka Avenue was armed with a machete. Memphis Police Officers responded to the 700 block of Porter and spoke with a complainant who advised that a man named Gary from the neighborhood threatened her with a machete and left it on her porch. Officers recovered the machete.

While still on the scene, officers responded to another call that a man fitting the same description began firing shots in the area. Crawford was found sitting on a couch on the porch of a home on Ioka Avenue. After noticing the officers, Crawford stood up and began waving a firearm and yelling at the officers. He was ordered to drop the weapon but did not comply and a standoff began. A short time later, the firearm fell from his lap, he stood up, walked off the porch, and undressed in the front yard before officers rushed and took him into custody. A Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol was recovered where Crawford was sitting.

As a result of his felony convictions, Crawford is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.


Sentencing is set on April 7, 2023, before United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays.


This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), and the Memphis Police Department. PSN is 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.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Regina Thompson and Stephen Hall, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

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