SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced Tuesday to 248 months in prison as an Armed Career Offender for firearms and drug charges.
Jeffery Lynn Alexander, 44, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense. He was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release. According to the Sept. 14, 2015 guilty plea, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled sale of cocaine at a Shreveport hotel in October of 2014. Alexander was recorded participating in the purchase of approximately 8 ounces of cocaine, while armed with a loaded Smith & Wesson.40 caliber handgun. While executing a warrant at Alexander’s home on April 15, 2015, law enforcement agents found Alexander in possession of a loaded 9 mm pistol, cocaine, methamphetamine and cash. Alexander has a prior conviction for possession of cocaine in 2003 and multiple felony drug trafficking convictions in 1998, 2005 and 2010. He was sentenced as an Armed Career Offender. The mandatory minimum sentence for an Armed Career Offender is 15 years in prison.
To be found an Armed Career Offender under federal law, a defendant must have three previous convictions that are either a violent felony or a serious drug offense, or both, committed on occasions different from one another. A serious drug offense can be an offense under federal or state law if it involves the manufacturing, distributing or possessing with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance for which a maximum term of 10 years or more in prison is prescribed by law.
“This defendant had multiple felony convictions and was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm; yet, he not only continued to possess firearms, but also continued to engage in illegal drug offenses," Finley stated. “The safety and security of the community is our highest priority."
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.
The ATF, Shreveport Police Department and Caddo-Shreveport Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
