Reagan T. Fondren Acting United States Attorney for the Western District Of Tennessee | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee
A federal appeals court has upheld the 108-month prison sentence for Jaquan Bridges, a Memphis resident convicted of possessing a machinegun. The announcement was made by Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Bridges, 22, was arrested after an incident on February 1, 2022. According to authorities, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Bridges driving slowly while using his cell phone near I-240 and Walnut Grove. When the deputy attempted to alert him to stop using his phone, Bridges fired gunshots at the deputy's vehicle before fleeing at high speed. The pursuit ended after Bridges struck several vehicles and crashed into a concrete barrier at I-240 and Highway 385. Law enforcement recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device and extended magazine from the scene.
Bridges pled guilty to possession of a machinegun on February 6, 2024. He was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes to 108 months in federal prison on September 17, 2024, followed by three years of supervised release. Federal sentences do not allow for parole.
On appeal, Bridges argued that his prosecution violated his Second Amendment rights. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected this argument in an opinion filed August 7, 2025, affirming both the sentence and the constitutionality of federal statutes regulating machineguns. This marks the first published decision by the Sixth Circuit addressing this issue since the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted and handled the appeal for the government.
"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."
For further information or updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, contact USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov or follow their official social media channels.
