Two West Memphis men -- Jeremy Briscoe, 36, and Carlton Daniels, 42 -- have each been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison in connection with guns and drugs found at their homes in 2016.
On Aug. 20, Briscoe pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carried an enhanced penalty for also illegally possessing a firearm. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright sentenced him to 12½ years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Daniels pleaded guilty June 21 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and because of his multiple prior felony convictions, faced a mandatory 15 years in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Miller sentenced him Oct. 15 to 180 months, or 15 years, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
In announcing the convictions Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland said, "Drug crimes and convicted criminals who illegally possess guns are a plague on all communities, but especially in tight-knit communities like West Memphis. These significant sentences should continue to send the message that we will seek to punish to the fullest extent of the law convicted criminals who illegally possess guns and drugs. And, in communities like West Memphis, we will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners in our efforts to hold these criminals accountable."
William McCrary, assistant special agent in charge of the New Orleans field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, added, "These convictions and sentences are an example of the ATF's commitment to working with our law enforcement partners in identifying and apprehending the violent criminals that prey upon the vulnerable and who threaten the safety of our communities. The ATF and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who victimize our neighbors, and undermine the safety and security of our neighborhoods."
The West Memphis Police Department executed a search warrant at Briscoe's home on May 2, 2016, after previously buying crack cocaine at the house, according to the announcement. Inside the home, officers found a loaded shotgun, two sets of digital scales with powdery residue on them, and crack cocaine.
Officers from the same department searched Daniels' home on Sept. 21, 2016, after a report that he had threatened someone with a firearm, according to the U.S. attorney's office. During the search, the office reported, officers found a .40-caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun, as well as cocaine.
Both cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safe.
Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated the project in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice'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.
Metro on 11/16/2018